Illegal dumps found near Sally Gap in Wicklow

UP TO six tonnes of waste paper and promotional material, and general refuse dumped over the last three days, have been discovered by anti-litter authorities in the Wicklow mountains.

The organisation Protecting Uplands Rural Environment (PURE) said the waste contained competition entries, lists of daily sales by newsagents of two specific publications, alongside the names, addresses and phone numbers of those who bought tickets to see recent shows in Dublin. The promotional material amounted to about one tonne in weight, according to Ian Davis of Pure.

The dumping took place about four miles north of the scenic Glenmacnass waterfall, between the Sally Gap and the village of Glendalough in Co Wicklow.

In the second incident, about five tonnes of general domestic waste. including electrical equipment and household rubble, was discovered close to the area where the first find was made.

One local woman whose name was found on some of the rubbish dumped said she was a member of a local group which carried out regular clean-ups in the Shankill area.

Mr Davis said it was not suspected the names on the lists were responsible for the dumping. But under the ‘polluter pays’ principle, the owner of the promotional material would be held accountable. He said the situation may emerge as a warning to businesses and individuals to check the waste licences or permits of those who hire contractors to remove waste.

Pure is to remove the rubbish after taking samples to indicate the origin of the waste, and these will be passed to Wicklow County Council for enforcement action.

Pure is funded by the Department of Environment and works with the Dublin and Wicklow local authorities.