Mayo County Council
Litter Management Plan 2007 – 2009
Executive Summary
Litter Management Plan
2007 – 2009
Executive Summary
Mayo County Council
Executive Summary
According to the Litter Pollution Act, 1997 and 2001, ‘"litter" means a substance or object, whether or not intended as waste (other than waste within the meaning of the Waste Management Act, 1996, which is properly consigned for disposal) that, when deposited in a place other than a litter receptacle or other place lawfully designated for the deposit, is or is likely to become unsightly, deleterious, nauseous or unsanitary, whether by itself or with any other such substance or object, and regardless of its size or volume or the extent of the deposit’.
Under Section 10 of the Litter Pollution Act, 1997 and 2001 each Local Authority has the responsibility of adopting a Litter Management Plan within its functional area.
The principal objective of a Litter Management Plan is to alleviate, control and prevent litter pollution insofar as possible and Mayo County Council appreciates that public awareness measures, educational endeavours and cooperation from the general public in addition to enforcement measures are crucial to achieve this primary goal.
The Mayo County Council Litter Management Plan, for the period 2007 to 2009, includesinter alia identification of litter pollution issues, prevention and control of litter pollution, policies on enforcement measures, educational campaigns, community involvement and general enforcement of the Act. The measures to achieve the primary goals are listed as follows. In addition Table 1 summarises the main measures, with initiatives which are currently undertaken and those proposed for the three-year period 2007 to 2009.
Programme of Measures for litter control, prevention and alleviation in Mayo:
- Public Awareness and Advisory Measures
- Youth Education Measures
- Community and Voluntary Group Cooperative Measures
- Partnership and Consultative Measures / Planning
- Enforcement Measures
- Active Control Measures
- Miscellaneous Measures
Table 1 Summary of the litter prevention, control and alleviation measures. Current initiatives are also shown, in addition to those which are proposed to be undertaken during 2007 to 2009
Litter Prevention, Control & Alleviation Measures / Current Initiatives / Proposed Initiatives1. Public Awareness & Advisory Measures / Environment Leaflet & Newsletters / Increase/supplement present advertising
Mayo Co. Council website / Expand / supplement environment page
Local press, cinema and radio advertising / Increase/supplement present advertising
Appropriate signs / Continue
Environmental Awareness Officer / Continue with current advisory measures
Litter Advisory letters / Continue while focussing on key members of the community
Initiate a cigarette-related litter educational campaign
2. Youth Education Measures / Green Flag Initiative / Continue and expand insofar as possible
Photograph / Poster competitions for students of all ages / Continue and expand insofar as possible
Other Youth Education projects e.g. 'Adopt An Area' / Continue and expand insofar as possible
3. Community And Voluntary Group Cooperative Measures / Anti-litter Awareness funding / Continue all support, financial and otherwise
Community Group Awards / Continue, increase promotion and expand competitions
4. Partnership & Consultative Measures / Planning / National Litter Monitoring Body / Continue support and involvement
Connaught Waste Management Group / Continue support and involvement
Table 1 continued
Litter Prevention, Control & Alleviation Measures / Current Initiatives / Proposed Initiatives5. Enforcement Measures / Litter Wardens - enforcement / Employ additional wardens as a priority
Environmental Enforcement Officers / Continue with current litter control and prevention strategies
Litter Line 1800 400 256 / To advertise this number within the public domain insofar as possible
Initiate Public Complaints Procedure
Use alternative strategies for littering by underage offenders
Introduce byelaws
Prosecute all offenders when sufficient evidence is available
6. Active Control Measures / Routine of bin-emptying, street sweeping and cleaning undertaken as efficiently as possible / Continue and improve insofar as possible
Review and examine current cleaning plans in Mayo
Undertake a bin audit to examine need for additional bins
Undertake a pilot study with compartmentalised bin in designated Mayo town
7. Miscellaneous Measures / Blue Flag Beaches / Maintain current status
Tidy Towns Committees / Continue/maintain present support
Maintain local authority responsibility with respect to litter prevention and control / Educate all employees on litter pollution and encourage cooperation on all litter initiatives
Mayo Co Council to 'lead by example' / Continue and progress with staff educational and awareness campaigns
Develop a Litter Prevention Board within MayoCounty Council