Households and businesses across County Limerick are now obliged to source an authorised refuse collection service under new Bye-Laws introduced by Limerick County Council last month. Approximately 25,389 households, representing 52% of all households in County Limerick, are presently without an authorised refuse collection service.
The Bye-Laws, which came into operation on 9 January 2012 following an extensive county-wide public consultation process in mid-2011, relate to the presentation, storage and segregation of household and commercial waste. The Council says the legislation will encourage proper management of household and commercial waste, and will decrease the level of unauthorised dumping and backyard burning which takes place in County Limerick.
Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council Cllr. Mary Harty expects that the Bye-Laws will help to reduce the large environmental and financial costs associated with illegal dumping and litter in County Limerick. “The Elected Members of Limerick County Council, who unanimously approved these Bye Laws in October 2011, anticipate that the legislation will result in significant savings for the tax-payer as it currently costs in excess of €1.5 million per annum to deal with this problem. This is money that could be put to much better use in other areas such as the provision of amenities and recreational facilities,” she explains.
Similar Bye-Laws have already been introduced in other local authority areas across the country in accordance with Section 35 of the Waste Management Act, 1996.
The Council’s Litter Management Unit will be carrying out checks on residential properties during 2012 to determine what residents are currently without a service, and action will be taken against persons who cannot satisfy the Local Authority that they are disposing of their waste in an acceptable manner. Individuals found to be in direct contravention of the Bye Laws will be issued with a fixed payment notice of €60.