Challenge
Clear & prevent litter on our roadsides, parks and waterways.
Posted by Laura Hannon on Feb 23, 2021
There is a big problem in Monaghan with litter along the roadsides in both the town and the more rural areas. The canals and along the greenways have become stagnant and filled with rubbish too and these are great features of our town that have been developed in recent years but have since declined a bit. We really need to work on maintaining the work that has already gone into the area! The greenway being extended will be wonderful too but I believe this is already in the plans.
Development Group, Natural Resources, Biodiversity, Youth Development, Town Centres, Tourism
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Francis Mccarron
Litter needs prevention and cure.
Prevention suggestions
Map what's being dumped and make a league table of what's being dumped most often. Then work with local businesses e.g. to minimise the amount of packaging, particularly plastic wrapping, if that's what tops the table. Or work with Fast food outlets and get them to ask their customers not to dump their litter from Takeaway food on the way home. Bring in a refund scheme on all bottles and cans.
Cure suggestions
Litter blackspots also need to be mapped for cleaning. There is a reporting system for potholes on roads. Is there one for litter? Mapping would help Council to identify litter blackspots and support clean up. Make it competitive at local level, e.g. cleanest community competition and have it led out by organisations like the GAA. Publicise pictures on social media of clean areas versus dirty areas.
Kathleen Kearns
I like how you linked in with the daily exercise goals of participants. Did the Local County Council support you with bags and pickers? or did you need to fund those items yourselves?
Aisling Moroney
In my community we did a big push recently, providing bags, gloves, litter pickers etc. I think part of its success was tagging it on at the end of a month long men vs women walking/running challenge. In the last week, you could get extra kms for your team for each bag of rubbish you collected. A sense of momentum and camaraderie had already been built up which made it much more likely that people would engage
Kathleen Kearns
Hi, I know your pain. I walked to work this morning past some very beautiful public spaces. I took pictures of many items (mostly plastic waste) discarded in the ditches and kerbside.
I'm Zooming with our local Youth Club this evening, and I'm suggesting we do our usual Spring Clean up or Litter Pick!
Because it really is a blight in our town!
Dog Doings on Pavements is another, less sanitary aspect of dumping locally as well.
So I propose clear plastic bags (biodegradable would be great) and litter pickers be provided and local collection points to encourage the collection and responsible disposal of litter, perhaps in conjunction with civic bottle/cans/clothes banks.