Roadside litter everywhere..

[birthday]

Drove through several counties (Kildare, Laois, Kilkenny,Tipperary, Waterford) at the weekend and could not believe the amount of roadside litter. I realise that vegetation is at a minimum around now but the mile after mile presence of plastic drink bottles, milk cartons, and tins discarded in hedges at the edge of so many roads was a sight to behold. This must leave a great impression on visitors to our troubled isle.
What was surprising is that nearly all this stuff can be recycled for free!
So what is the excuse for just dumping recyclable household rubbish at the side of the road?
Should the penalties for this type of behaviour be looked at again?
Perhaps if convicted offenders were required to spend 10-20 Saturdays of the year picking up such material in their locality whilst wearing fluorescent orange suits, they might think again before re-offending?

[toxic avenger]

That reminds me, nearly time to begin my annual anti-ragwort rant...

[eskerman]

We are a filthy nation...and with a corrupt government sitting we have two chances of ever sorting out litter...slim and shag all.

I agree with you, we send all the wrong signals out.

We need a major re-think on where this kip is actually heading for..

[darkhorse]

Perhaps the manufacturers of these plastic drink bottles, milk cartons, and tins should be made to pay for the removal of their stuff - like the chewing gum people.

[birthday]

We are a filthy nation...and with a corrupt government sitting we have two chances of ever sorting out litter...slim and shag all.

I agree with you, we send all the wrong signals out.

We need a major re-think on where this kip is actually heading for..

I expected a green Minister for Environment to shake things up a bit in the whole litter area but have been disappointed.
We really are a filthy nation

[eskerman]

its not the manufacturers problem or fault...its the filthy/lawless people that have no consideration for the country....

[Fing Fers]

Drove through several counties (Kildare, Laois, Kilkenny,Tipperary, Waterford) at the weekend and could not believe the amount of roadside litter. I realise that vegetation is at a minimum around now but the mile after mile presence of plastic drink bottles, milk cartons, and tins discarded in hedges at the edge of so many roads was a sight to behold. This must leave a great impression on visitors to our troubled isle.
What was surprising is that nearly all this stuff can be recycled for free!
So what is the excuse for just dumping recyclable household rubbish at the side of the road?
Should the penalties for this type of behaviour be looked at again?
Perhaps if convicted offenders were required to spend 10-20 Saturdays of the year picking up such material in their locality whilst wearing fluorescent orange suits, they might think again before re-offending?

I've noticed this myself. Apart from the odd village taking up litter themselves (tidy town entrants) everywhere else is left untouched, litter is beginning to develop more than I've noticed before.

No money to look after our county, plenty of money for you know who and who's.

I cant remember the last time I saw my local Co Council out and about, almost as if there is none.

Peoples attitude towards rubbish has changed, more litter about the place, more illegal dumping. Going back a few years never seemed to be as much litter about the place.

[eskerman]

I expected a green Minister for Environment to shake things up a bit in the whole litter area but have been disappointed.
We really are a filthy nation

Sad to have to say there is not one thing you can say is good about this country now....its been battered and destroyed in so many ways..it really is in a mess ( pardon the pun) and litter is only part of it..

There is plenty of white collar little in the institutions also..

[PaddyJoe McGillycuddy]

What was surprising is that nearly all this stuff can be recycled for free!

Not so much any more. Local council amenity sites are now charging an minimum of 3 euros to bring along these items. Locally I know of a shopping centre which had recycling bins managed by the local co. council which were removed last year.
Not an excuse for this kind of dumping but I don't think these kind of cuts help the situation.

[darkhorse]

its not the manufacturers problem or fault...its the filthy/lawless people that have no consideration for the country....

True but with chewing gum the approach was to tax it in order to provide revenue for the clean up.
So why not likewise for the other rubbish?
Gormley chews over tax on gum - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie