Meath’s countryside suffering from ‘thoughtless’ illegal dumping
Meath County Council has recently been alerted to multiple incidents of illegal dumping in various parts of the county, raising concerns about the environmental and safety risks posed to local communities and wildlife.
One reported case involved the illegal dumping of bedding material at Harlockstown Lane in Ashbourne. The council has said “such illegal dumping can be dangerous for local animals, as well as posing a risk to passing road-users.”
Additional cases have been reported at Athronan, Dunsany, where building materials were illegally dumped, and at Copper Coin Lane, Ardcath, involving discarded household items. Teams have been dispatched to remove the waste and restore these areas.
“Aside from the obvious hazards to our county’s flora and fauna, thoughtless actions such as this take our staff away from their important every-day duties, tasks designed to improve the county for everyone,” the council said on a social media post.
The Environment Team is currently investigating both cases and encourages the public to report any relevant information by email.
Illegal dumping has placed a significant financial burden on the county. In 2016, the cost of cleaning up waste in Meath was €2.4m, decreasing slightly to €2.3m in 2017.
According to the council, another issue that has been contributing to the problem of illegal dumping is the presence of illegal waste collectors. Some door-to-door collectors improperly dispose of rubbish. This not only worsens dumping problems but also exposes residents to potential fines or convictions if they use these unauthorised services.