Litter bins cause more litter says District Engineer

Dog fouling is a big issue agreed members at the latest Ballinamore Municipal District meeting where Cllr Brendan Barry called on the council to provide additional litter and dog fouling bins in Drumshanbo and Keshcarrigan.
He was advised that Keshcarrigan is one of the most litter free villages in south Leitrim and there are currently no public litter bins in the village.
The response continued that Waterways Ireland have no litter bins at their facilities also and the introduction of litter bins to this village “will cause litter hot spots and possible vermin issues. All shops are obliged to cater for their customers by providing a waste/litter bin during opening hours.
“Dog fouling bins is a matter for the environment section as they maintain these services and we can advise the veterinarian officer of your request,” the response concluded.
Cllr Barry said that one way to encourage people to clean up after their dogs is to “make it easier for them to dispose of it in bins and have them in towns and villages in the right locations.”
Cllr Barry said that “there is staff on a scheme there tidying up litter off the streets and that's why it looks so good. It's not that there isn't people throwing out the litter and it would make their jobs easier if we could provide a bin for people.”
He added that members of the residents' association in Kesh Lawns and representatives from Keshcarrigan development association have inquired about the introduction of bins to the town.
District Engineer, Darragh O'Boyle said he “would suggest strongly not to put any litter bins in the village because there are no litter issues there” adding the “introduction of litter bins will cause litter, I guarantee it. I have no issue dog fouling bins.”
He stressed that shops must provide a bin to customers as part of their planning permission.
Cllr Enda McGloin said that dog fouling bins are a “very successful tool” and supported Cllr Barry's motion in relation to having the bins installed in Keshcarrigan.
In relation to litter bins, Cllr McGloin said he was aware of areas where litter is an issue in the town and asked if a litter warden ensures that “shops and food outlets have maintained their bins and monitor them.”
Mr O'Boyle again said that in his view, “the introduction of litter bins will cause litter” and that there “is never an issue with litter” at any of the beauty spots in the town.
Cllr Caillian Ellis said that bins had to be removed from Ballinamore because they “become a bin for household waste” with McGloin said that when he ran a business in Drumshanbo, when he emptied the bin outside he “found household waste in it” but got a new bin from Leitrim County Council “with a very tight opening which meant is was very difficult for anyone to put anything in.”
He suggested that shops get assistance from Leitrim County Council in maintaining and monitoring their bins. “Maybe that would be a compromise?”
Cllr Barry supported Cllr McGloin's comments and suggested “renewed contact with the businesses to provide bins under the by-laws and maybe the council could go some way in assisting them by providing bins with small openings to keep out household waste.”
He said that there isn't an issue with litter because “there are people there continuously walking the street and picking it up and they are tired of doing it all the time. It's not that people aren't littering; it's that volunteers and people in the community are gathering it up and it's time to make it easier for them if we can.”
Vincent Dwyer, Head of Finance and Director of Services said that under the by-laws the responsibility for the provision of the bin rests with the business and “most businesses have taken a view of pulling the bin inside their property.”
He said if there is a local group who carry out regular tidy-ups, “we do broad support to them in terms of litter picking, gloves and bags and collection.” He said environment would make contact with the group.
Cllr McGloin said, “The amount of people who don't engage with waste disposal services is outrageous and when I had to get CCTV to monitor the bin outside my business because in the middle of the night they'd come and stuff the bin.”
Mr O'Boyle said that if a litter black spot develops in Kesh, “we can revisit the argument of having a bin there but I just think it would get abused.”