Pleasure at IBAL result, but more work needed on litter, say councillors

There was joy at the news that Mullingar is one of the cleanest towns in Europe and has come fifth in this year Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, up from 16th place two years ago.

Welcoming the result at their January meeting, members of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad applauded the council staff, the Tidy Towns, the Mullingar climate action group, and community groups who made it happen.

Ciaran Jordan, senior executive, said the only area in which the town did not get its marks up was the recycling centre in the council car park. It was noted that there had been a improvement, but more attention was needed and “we will deal with it as we go along”, he remarked.

Nearly half of all litter is cigarette related, and packaging is at a third. The introduction of smart bins and reverse vending machines, along with legislation allowing for the use of CCTV cameras, is expected to have a significant effect on littering and illegal dumping.

The council’s latest Litter Management Plan is being drawn up and members of the public will be invited to make submissions from February. Members of the municipal district had some submissions of their own to make when they considered the plan on Monday.

Several members called for bins in which to dispose of dog poo. Cllr Ken Glynn proposed that the council provide dog fouling bins in urban areas “as a must”.

Members wanted a crackdown on cigarette butts, vapes and other litter being dumped in Springfield Tunnel and outside pubs, and illegal dumping in back lanes in housing estates such as Dalton Park, and at the lakes.

“Eastern Europeans” were blamed for “a lot of the problems” at Ladestown, Lough Ennell, by Cllr Michael Dollard. He said they were cutting down trees and throwing tins into the lake. “I know the people that are at it!” he declared. He said he would like to see community wardens being active there this year.

The chairman, Cllr John Shaw said there should be a separate paragraph in the Litter Management Plan dealing with lakeshore problems.

Bottle banks are another area the members want tackled and CCTV is expected to help in that. The bring bank at St Colman’s NS, Mullingar, was identified as a scene of serious littering, particularly at public holiday periods.

Mr Jordan said that a lot of rogue clothes banks are appearing, many for fake charities, and the problem is they are not serviced often enough.

Cllr Denis Leonard said that while cigarette litter is bad, the vape is worse. He warned against using “the man in the van that wants to take away your rubbish – if it’s too cheap to be wholesome, it’s too cheap to be wholesome”, he said. He believes that most fly tipping is by a small number of serial offenders.

Cllr Andrew Duncan agreed that fly tipping is the work of a few serial offenders and they need to be prosecuted and made to pay for the clean-ups. He called on the council to “up the ante” on its advertising of recycling centres and mattress amnesty days.

Both he and Cllr Hazel Smyth called for more flowers and planting, particularly at roundabouts, in the belief that where there is planting people are less inclined to dump. Cllr Smyth called for more cigarette bins and dog fouling bins. People are picking up their dogs’ excrement, but as there are no bins to put it in they are flinging the bags into the bushes, she suggested.

Cllr Smyth said that Athlone ran a success pilot scheme for compact bins for the likes of pizza boxes, and she asked that the same be done in Mullingar. Cllr Bill Collentine said that coming fifth in the IBAL awards, significantly increasing its mark in the Tidy Towns competition this year and winning Pride of Place last year, gives Mullingar “a lot to shout about”.

He observed that while roadside dumping continues, the amount of litter in the canal has decreased – “I don’t know why”. He complained that street bins are being filled by some business people and that needs to be stopped. He suggested that the mattress amnesty should be extended to include furniture such as old couches and chairs.

Cllr Emily Wallace called for litter wardens at Ladestown seven days a week, but wondered how safe were they if anti-social behaviour was going on. She called for community return vending machines as well as those in retail outlets. “We are pushing people into certain stores, but we have a duty to smaller businesses that cannot afford these big machines,” she said.

Cllr Aoife Davitt is hopeful that CCTV cameras will help solve the lakeshore problems. She called for more bins in black spots and in particular at Ballinea, where bring banks are also needed, and dog fouling bins along the walkways. Cllr Paddy Hill warned that it is not as simple as taking the culprits to court; you have to have evidence. He recalled how, about 10 years ago, a judge threw out a case and levied a €700 charge on the council.

Cllr Hill agreed that education and awareness were important in combating littering, but: “I don’t know how you are going to educate the fella coming out of the pub stoned and throwing his cigarette butt away and then going to the chipper and throwing his wrappers out on the road on the way home.”

Mr Jordan welcomed the members’ comments and urged them and the public to make submissions on the draft plan, all of which will be considered.