Mayo and its Waste and Litter

by

Mart Martenson, Belderrig, Mayo

Plenty of attention was given to this subject in the media. Indeed it must find increasing interest within the population. The reporting was very much limited to illegal dumping along the main and side roads of Mayo. County Council is the authority responsible for garbage collection and recycling. Urban areas are quite well positioned and have little to complain. Rural areas are less fortunate. The very remote areas, which are highlighted for tourism and representing the picture book Ireland, are forgotten. County Council refuses any garbage collection in such areas and redirects responsibility to private garbage operators. Having contacted those, however, left little satisfaction because neither are these interested in sending a truck to a remote community.

Indeed, it may not be economical to provide such minimum public services to remote areas - but then - that is what government is about. Certain basic services are to be made available and may have to be subsidized by other parts of an economy. One cannot deny the existence and rights of a minority. One can also not expect to have the urban population move to towns only to make governing a country easier.

County Councils owe mentioning of a method of waste disposal which would meet everybodies expectation. Instead it is reported that one should prosecute those who dump their waste illegally after a strong warning. But what are the real alternatives when you have waste?

 

a) Dig a hole in the garden.

 

b) Dig a large hole behind the next hill in the bog land.

 

c) "Forget" the waste along the roads.

 

d) Throw waste over the cliffs into the Atlantic.

 

e) Return the waste in plastic bags to towns like Ballina, Castlebar where most of the purchasing is done to the benefit of
those town economies.

The most often proposed alternative is the public dump or a controlled illegal open dump on a small scale basis. But any open dump has short lived benefits because the long term development of toxic gases etc will require massive investments to hedge adverse effects.

One talks about waste disposal but commonly one should begin with the argument of waste prevention:

(a) Education of children at school. Educational videos are available at the Department of the Environment. The average life of soft drink containers, potatoe chip bags, cigarette boxes are most convincing!

 

(b) Education and awareness of consumers: one must not accept all (plastic) packaging at supermarkets etc. In many European countries, consumers unpacked double packaging at the counters of shops and left those for the disposal by shops or returned plastic bottles to the supermarkets who, in return, pressured producers to change their packaging habits. To capitalize from the environmental awareness of the consumer, many supermarkets would not anymore sell soft drinks in plastic bottles but only glass bottles which are recycable. Housewifes may take along their own shopping bags instead of getting plastic bags for every little product bought.

 

(c) Group pressure in communities can prevent waste: farmers may be motivated to collect their black silage plastic foils or the plastic bags for fertilizer.

 

(d) Commonly the producer's responsibility applies. This means that the producer is responsible for preventing undue or excessive waste creation and to secure or encourage the acceptance of return waste. When you buy a radio, TV or a fridge, unpack immediately and return the styropur packaging to the supplier.

Also the Irish Women's Environmental Network has organized an Global Action Plan to show people how to live more sustainable lifestyles. A growing international movement aimed at encouraging everyone to take individual responsibility for the environment, is joined by Irish people.

Indeed, the increased environmental awareness of the local population will create pressure on the authorities for an organized and responsible waste management. The Environment of Ireland is being marketed for many purposes. It is one of the treasures of Ireland. Why are County Councils not arranging seminars for local Communities to introduce their short and long term Waste Management Plans?

In the absence of a productive cooperation with authorities it may be appropriate that local communities will take action into own hands.

Presently we are engaged in arranging a feasibility study for the operation of a mini-waste recycling plant. The unreliable waste collection services pose a threat of illegal dumping at high cost to the environment. One of the best options may be a mini-waste disposal facility with separate processing of plastic, tins, paper glass etc.

This would facilitate to enhance social benefits in the area in terms of a low cost local waste collection service, provision of employment, and enhancement of the local environment. Additional benefits of such scheme are to aid the arrea in its advancement toward Eco Tourism accreditation. Such project would meet rural needs for waste management services by providing an efficient environmentally responsible waste management framework.

A study on the White paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment presented to the European Council identified 17 key areas of activity in the service sector where the greatest employment potential exists, among which were listed the following areas: waste management, tourism, and the protection and maintenance of natural areas. All European legislation relating to waste requires promotion of recycling and waste recovery and reduction in risk to the environment. Where waste cannot be prevented from arising, the re-use or recycling of waste are the preferred options of waste management.

More details about a mini-waste recycling unit will be made available here in due time.

Waste Management Bill, 1995 stipulates that each local authority shall collect household waste within its functional area unless the estimated costs of the collection of the waste concerned would, in the opinion of the authority, be unreasonably high and the authority is satisfied that adequate arrangements for the disposal of the waste concerned can reasonably be made by the holder of the waste. This is a crucial section of the Waste Management Bill and should be looked into further.

Coastwatch Europe Network, Trinity College, Dublin, is actively engaged in Waste and Litter Management in the Costal Zone. But very little cooperation with local authorities is being exercised.

Disposal at Sea - over 200.000 tonnes of dilute sewage sludge and over 500.000 tonnes of industrial waste are dumped at sea in Ireland. But who really knows what is being dumped and where? It is suggested that the relevant authorities are making available detailed information to the public.

The public has to live in this environment but has very little control or say in this matter.

 

Mart Martensen mart@iol.ie

The Nallys of Rockstown in County Mayo, Ireland