1. No category

G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 1
a well-organised, successful and enjoyable event.
4. Informing,
Instructing and Training
All volunteers will need to be informed,
1. Pinpointing your Clean Up
instructed and trained prior to the event.
Find a piece of land or an area you wish to clean up. Then check with
Depending on the nature, size and type of
your local authority to determine who owns the land or has
your event, this may include:
responsibility for the area.
2. Risk Assessment
Assess the site and carry out a full risk assessment. This is a careful
examination of the possible risks that could cause harm to your
volunteers. When assessing the risks, look for the following hazards:
• Unidentified cans or canisters, oil drums, poisons, insecticides,
clinical waste, other hazardous substances, broken glass, condoms,
syringes, etc.
• Deep or fast flowing water, dangerous currents or tides, steep,
slippery, or unstable banks, sharp rocks, mud holes, derelict buildings,
electric fences, etc.
1
• health and safety risks (this will be
determined by the risk assessment carried out
and the risks involved);
• precautions to prevent these risks and how to
protect against them;
• how to use any equipment provided;
• the agreed routes and event procedures;
• where and what time to meet; the type of clothing
they should wear - warm, waterproof clothing and
adequate footwear;
precautions are needed.
• Approach local residents either by leafleting, calling at homes, or
through a residents’ group.
• Put up posters in local shops or supermarkets, on community notice
boards, in libraries, community centres or leisure centres.
• Send out a press release to your local media at least one week in
advance of your event, giving details of who to contact and how
people can get involved.
• Contact your local authority to see if they have volunteer coordinators or a volunteer bureau.
• Contact your local An Taisce Association to let them know what you
are planning to do, and they may be able to put you in touch with
local volunteers. An Taisce Head Office will be happy to provide
details of the An Taisce Association in your area.
-brief on emergency procedures;
• Warn them of potentially dangerous situations and hazards, and
-organise volunteers into teams;
choose an appropriate area for them in which to pick up litter.
-distribute and collect equipment;
•
If you are working near roadways or water, make sure that there are
-specify where rubbish should be left;
responsible people appointed specifically to keep an eye on safety.
-collect survey forms (if used).
Do not allow children to wander freely in these areas. Remember
that children often get bored and a maximum of two hours will be
enough for them
2. Working near Water
• Liaise with the appropriate bodies, e.g. Environmental Protection
Agency, local angling or watersports clubs, and lifeguards to check
whether there are any possible hazards.
• Encourage boat owners and canoeists to use their boats to get to
awkward areas.
• Do not plan the clean up near deep mud, steep, slippery or crumbling
banks, or polluted water.
2
• All participants should wear gloves.
• Hands should be washed before and after
handling litter.
• Do not eat or drink without washing hands
thoroughly beforehand.
• Inform volunteers:
-not to cause any disturbance or inconvenience to
the local community and environment;
-to be considerate to wildlife if working in the
• location of the nearest telephone of access to
• Ensure that non-swimmers and children keep away from the water’s
year when many animals are nesting and plants are
• Ensure that there is a trained lifesaver present.
• Make sure all participants wear waterproof gloves
• Ensure that people wearing waders are accompanied by a partner
-to keep gates closed, and to avoid cleaning up natural
a mobile phone.
will come and pick them up prior-to your event or on the day.
of the community as possible:
Appoint an event coordinator who will
times - no more than eight children to one adult is advisable.
countryside, parks, woodland, around shrubbery,
site, make a note of their location and inform the local authority who
A clean up, to be successful, needs to involve as many different sectors
• If children are involved in your event, they must be supervised at all
• Check the depth of the water it possible, as well as times of tides
If you find any dangerous items when you are assessing your chosen
3. Community Involvement
4. On the Day
• toilet facilities and refreshments (depending on the
length of the event);
For each hazard identified, you will then be able to decide what
1. Working with Children
and fluctuations of flow.
edge.
with a safety line.
RECYCLING
INITIATIVE
Recycling Material Collected – Separate colourcoded bags are provided for the collection and
segregation of recyclable cans and plastic bottles.
Please ensure these bags are used correctly.
Blue Bags – Cans
• Weil’s Disease is a bacterial disease which is spread mainly by the
urine of infected animals, especially rats. To prevent the spread of the
disease volunteers should wear strong waterproof boots and gloves.
Any cuts or grazes should be carefully covered up before the cleanup
event with waterproof plasters. No food and drink should be
consumed during the cleanup. Volunteers should wash their hands
thoroughly after the cleanup.
Food and drink cans only, no paint pots.
3. Working near Roads and Lay-Bys
Yellow Bags – Plastic bottles
• Initially, restrict groups to work on footpaths and verges with a
No polystyrene, no Yogurt bottles/pots, no DIY or
no chemical bottles.
Once you are finished your clean up, bring all the
collected recyclables to your nearest recycling
centre or arrange for efficient collection.
60 KM per hour (40 mph) speed limit and below.
• Children under 12 should not pick up litter by the roadside.
• Ask volunteers to wear fluorescent armbands, and exhibit warning
signs at either end of the stretch of road while work is in progress.
hedgerows, ditches or open spaces. April is the time of
making new growth, so extra care needs to be taken;
rubbish such as logs, stones and weeds. They may look
untidy, but they are often home to animals and birds.
Think about Health & Safety
Follow these step-by-step guidelines and you will be assured of holding
How to organise an event
Joining National Spring Clean can help you to tackle a particular environmental problem in
your area - litter. With the help and commitment of others the litter problem can be tackled
long-term and a solution reached. National Spring Clean will help you to recruit volunteers,
give you advice on how to raise funds to help with your task, give you advice on how to
reach others via the media, and most of all help you to provide a cleaner environment for
everyone to enjoy.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 2
Spring Clean by taking part in litter picks and such activities, to obtain
Public Liability insurance cover.
Public Liability covers the organiser(s) of the activity in the event of an
accident occurring to a volunteer or a member of the public or their
property that may be attributable to the organiser’s negligence, or to
that of one of the volunteers. An Taisce is fully insured against their
legal liability for damage, loss or injury to Third Parties or their property.
Any group or individual should ensure that adequate Public Liability
insurance is in force in their own name before embarking on an event.
Again, depending on the nature, type and size of your event, the
following arrangements may have to be made and equipment organised
prior to your clean up. Your local authority will be able to help you with
some of the following:
• Equipment needed could include litter pickers, heavy-duty gloves,
refuse sacks, wheelbarrows, skips, vehicles for larger items, rakes
and shovels.
• You may want to ask if any of your volunteers involved in the event
are qualified first aiders. If not, voluntary first aid organisations, such
as the order of Malta, can advise you and may be able to provide
cover and assistance.
• First aid kits and anti-bacterial wipes.
• Containers for the safe collection of broken glass, sharp metal, etc.
• Rapid response service for the removal of sharps (needles, etc.).
• Identification of your local recycling facilities.
• Efficient removal of collected rubbish and recyclables after your event.
6. Sponsorship and Funding
This largely depends on the type of event that you have in mind and
whether you wish to continue your environmental work after National
Spring Clean.
• You could approach local companies and ask them to provide the
necessary equipment for your event or to sponsor a litter bin with
their name on it.
• Fundraising events could be organised, e.g. aluminium can collection,
car boot sale, environmental fair, auction or a jumble sale to raise
funds for future events.
7. Publicity
Use the enclosed sample press release to obtain media coverage for
your event.
• Take before, during and after photographs of your event to send to
your local press.
• You could make your litter pick fun by organising a fancy dress
theme, or setting challenges to see how much litter can be collected
in a given time or who can collect the largest or most unusual piece.
8. Local Authority
After you have organised your event please inform your local authority.
They should be able to assist with the provision of extra clean up
materials and disposal of rubbish and recyclables after your event.
Local Authority:
‘Contact details, including web addresses, for all Local Authorities can be
found online at
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdminist
ration/LocalAuthorities/’
1
How to organise an event
We always advise groups or individuals who are supporting National
2
How to organise insurance
Insurance
5. Arrangements, Equipment and Disposal
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 1
a well-organised, successful and enjoyable event.
4. Informing,
Instructing and Training
All volunteers will need to be informed,
1. Pinpointing your Clean Up
instructed and trained prior to the event.
Find a piece of land or an area you wish to clean up. Then check with
Depending on the nature, size and type of
your local authority to determine who owns the land or has
your event, this may include:
responsibility for the area.
2. Risk Assessment
Assess the site and carry out a full risk assessment. This is a careful
examination of the possible risks that could cause harm to your
volunteers. When assessing the risks, look for the following hazards:
• Unidentified cans or canisters, oil drums, poisons, insecticides,
clinical waste, other hazardous substances, broken glass, condoms,
syringes, etc.
• Deep or fast flowing water, dangerous currents or tides, steep,
slippery, or unstable banks, sharp rocks, mud holes, derelict buildings,
electric fences, etc.
1
• health and safety risks (this will be
determined by the risk assessment carried out
and the risks involved);
• precautions to prevent these risks and how to
protect against them;
• how to use any equipment provided;
• the agreed routes and event procedures;
• where and what time to meet; the type of clothing
they should wear - warm, waterproof clothing and
adequate footwear;
precautions are needed.
• Approach local residents either by leafleting, calling at homes, or
through a residents’ group.
• Put up posters in local shops or supermarkets, on community notice
boards, in libraries, community centres or leisure centres.
• Send out a press release to your local media at least one week in
advance of your event, giving details of who to contact and how
people can get involved.
• Contact your local authority to see if they have volunteer coordinators or a volunteer bureau.
• Contact your local An Taisce Association to let them know what you
are planning to do, and they may be able to put you in touch with
local volunteers. An Taisce Head Office will be happy to provide
details of the An Taisce Association in your area.
-brief on emergency procedures;
• Warn them of potentially dangerous situations and hazards, and
-organise volunteers into teams;
choose an appropriate area for them in which to pick up litter.
-distribute and collect equipment;
•
If you are working near roadways or water, make sure that there are
-specify where rubbish should be left;
responsible people appointed specifically to keep an eye on safety.
-collect survey forms (if used).
Do not allow children to wander freely in these areas. Remember
that children often get bored and a maximum of two hours will be
enough for them
2. Working near Water
• Liaise with the appropriate bodies, e.g. Environmental Protection
Agency, local angling or watersports clubs, and lifeguards to check
whether there are any possible hazards.
• Encourage boat owners and canoeists to use their boats to get to
awkward areas.
• Do not plan the clean up near deep mud, steep, slippery or crumbling
banks, or polluted water.
2
• All participants should wear gloves.
• Hands should be washed before and after
handling litter.
• Do not eat or drink without washing hands
thoroughly beforehand.
• Inform volunteers:
-not to cause any disturbance or inconvenience to
the local community and environment;
-to be considerate to wildlife if working in the
• location of the nearest telephone of access to
• Ensure that non-swimmers and children keep away from the water’s
year when many animals are nesting and plants are
• Ensure that there is a trained lifesaver present.
• Make sure all participants wear waterproof gloves
• Ensure that people wearing waders are accompanied by a partner
-to keep gates closed, and to avoid cleaning up natural
a mobile phone.
will come and pick them up prior-to your event or on the day.
of the community as possible:
Appoint an event coordinator who will
times - no more than eight children to one adult is advisable.
countryside, parks, woodland, around shrubbery,
site, make a note of their location and inform the local authority who
A clean up, to be successful, needs to involve as many different sectors
• If children are involved in your event, they must be supervised at all
• Check the depth of the water it possible, as well as times of tides
If you find any dangerous items when you are assessing your chosen
3. Community Involvement
4. On the Day
• toilet facilities and refreshments (depending on the
length of the event);
For each hazard identified, you will then be able to decide what
1. Working with Children
and fluctuations of flow.
edge.
with a safety line.
RECYCLING
INITIATIVE
Recycling Material Collected – Separate colourcoded bags are provided for the collection and
segregation of recyclable cans and plastic bottles.
Please ensure these bags are used correctly.
Blue Bags – Cans
• Weil’s Disease is a bacterial disease which is spread mainly by the
urine of infected animals, especially rats. To prevent the spread of the
disease volunteers should wear strong waterproof boots and gloves.
Any cuts or grazes should be carefully covered up before the cleanup
event with waterproof plasters. No food and drink should be
consumed during the cleanup. Volunteers should wash their hands
thoroughly after the cleanup.
Food and drink cans only, no paint pots.
3. Working near Roads and Lay-Bys
Yellow Bags – Plastic bottles
• Initially, restrict groups to work on footpaths and verges with a
No polystyrene, no Yogurt bottles/pots, no DIY or
no chemical bottles.
Once you are finished your clean up, bring all the
collected recyclables to your nearest recycling
centre or arrange for efficient collection.
60 KM per hour (40 mph) speed limit and below.
• Children under 12 should not pick up litter by the roadside.
• Ask volunteers to wear fluorescent armbands, and exhibit warning
signs at either end of the stretch of road while work is in progress.
hedgerows, ditches or open spaces. April is the time of
making new growth, so extra care needs to be taken;
rubbish such as logs, stones and weeds. They may look
untidy, but they are often home to animals and birds.
Think about Health & Safety
Follow these step-by-step guidelines and you will be assured of holding
How to organise an event
Joining National Spring Clean can help you to tackle a particular environmental problem in
your area - litter. With the help and commitment of others the litter problem can be tackled
long-term and a solution reached. National Spring Clean will help you to recruit volunteers,
give you advice on how to raise funds to help with your task, give you advice on how to
reach others via the media, and most of all help you to provide a cleaner environment for
everyone to enjoy.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 2
Spring Clean by taking part in litter picks and such activities, to obtain
Public Liability insurance cover.
Public Liability covers the organiser(s) of the activity in the event of an
accident occurring to a volunteer or a member of the public or their
property that may be attributable to the organiser’s negligence, or to
that of one of the volunteers. An Taisce is fully insured against their
legal liability for damage, loss or injury to Third Parties or their property.
Any group or individual should ensure that adequate Public Liability
insurance is in force in their own name before embarking on an event.
Again, depending on the nature, type and size of your event, the
following arrangements may have to be made and equipment organised
prior to your clean up. Your local authority will be able to help you with
some of the following:
• Equipment needed could include litter pickers, heavy-duty gloves,
refuse sacks, wheelbarrows, skips, vehicles for larger items, rakes
and shovels.
• You may want to ask if any of your volunteers involved in the event
are qualified first aiders. If not, voluntary first aid organisations, such
as the order of Malta, can advise you and may be able to provide
cover and assistance.
• First aid kits and anti-bacterial wipes.
• Containers for the safe collection of broken glass, sharp metal, etc.
• Rapid response service for the removal of sharps (needles, etc.).
• Identification of your local recycling facilities.
• Efficient removal of collected rubbish and recyclables after your event.
6. Sponsorship and Funding
This largely depends on the type of event that you have in mind and
whether you wish to continue your environmental work after National
Spring Clean.
• You could approach local companies and ask them to provide the
necessary equipment for your event or to sponsor a litter bin with
their name on it.
• Fundraising events could be organised, e.g. aluminium can collection,
car boot sale, environmental fair, auction or a jumble sale to raise
funds for future events.
7. Publicity
Use the enclosed sample press release to obtain media coverage for
your event.
• Take before, during and after photographs of your event to send to
your local press.
• You could make your litter pick fun by organising a fancy dress
theme, or setting challenges to see how much litter can be collected
in a given time or who can collect the largest or most unusual piece.
8. Local Authority
After you have organised your event please inform your local authority.
They should be able to assist with the provision of extra clean up
materials and disposal of rubbish and recyclables after your event.
Local Authority:
‘Contact details, including web addresses, for all Local Authorities can be
found online at
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdminist
ration/LocalAuthorities/’
1
How to organise an event
We always advise groups or individuals who are supporting National
2
How to organise insurance
Insurance
5. Arrangements, Equipment and Disposal
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 4
M+H Supplies Ltd
K and S Industrial Supplies Ltd
22 Seafort Avenue
Unit 2, Greenogue Business Park
Dublin 4
Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
Tel: 01-2691110
Tel: 01 4587976
Mobile 087-22437096
Anderco Safety (Ireland) Ltd
Fax: 01-2691714
Industrial Estate
Erin Health &Safety Ltd
Little Island, Cork
Llewynn House
Tel: 021 4351600
New Brighton Terrace
Refuse Sacks
Bray
Co. Wicklow
TS O’Connor & Son Ltd
Tel: 01 2864995
Unit C, 67 Heather Road
Sandyford Ind. Estate, Dublin 18
Litter Pickers
M&G Ltd
36 Cookstown Ind. Estate
Belgard Rd
Tallaght
Tel: 01 2955696
Shabra Plastics and Packaging
Ardee Road, Carrickmacross
Co. Monaghan
Tel: 042 9749444
Dublin 24
Omega Packaging Ltd.
Tel: 01 4511144
Unit 35, Beechwood Close
Fortwilton Ltd
Unit 6
Cedar Estate
Killarney Road
Bray
Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 2760111
Boghall Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 2869844
Your Local Authority may provide refuse sacks,
litter pickers, gloves, skips and collection of Litter
after your event
ENFO is a service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
ENFO has a drop-in centre and library at 17 Andrew st. Dublin 2. Opening times: 10.00 to 17.00
(except Sundays and public holidays). Tel: 1890 200 191. Web:www.enfo.ie
WASTE HIERARCHY PYRAMID – WHAT WE SHOULD BE AIMING FOR!
Your local authority can provide also you with
most favoured option
all the information you need about the waste
3
management services in your area, including
PREVENTION
Bring Banks and Recycling Centres, and specific
MINIMISATION
details of your local Pay by Use scheme.
REUSE
For the purpose of planning waste management in
RECYCLING
ENERGY RECOVERY
DISPOSAL
Ireland, some counties have grouped together to
provide a shared solution and some counties are
going it alone. However, all counties have a waste
management plan that has set broad objectives and
targets.
least favoured option
Source: www.repak.ie
OTHER INFORMATION LEAFLETS AND WEBSITES
• The ‘Race Against Waste’ have a range of information guides on
Litter; Waste; the three R’s: reduce – reuse – recycle; the
environmental impacts of backyard burning and how to compost.
Tel: 1890-667639 Web: www.raceagainstwaste.ie
• Many local authorities have joined together to create combined
waste information websites such as www.wastenot.ie,
www.connaughtwaste.ieand www.dublinwaste.ie. These sites
contain information on litter and waste.
• The websites www.litter.ie and www.environ.ie contain reports on
litter in Ireland, national and local authority litter management
plans and on best practice guidelines from around the country.
Some innovative forms of ant-litter action undertaken
by local authorities are:
• ‘Naming and shaming’ litter offenders by local
authorities include Dublin City, Galway Dun LaoghaireRathdown, South Dublin, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, Sligo,
Cork and Westmeath.
A number of local authorities are undertaking innovative
forms of anti-litter action, such as:
• ‘Naming and shaming’ litter offenders by local authorities
inludes Dublin, Galway, Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin,
Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, Sligo, Cork, Westmeath and Wicklow
• A Free Phone Service to allow the public to report instances of
illegal dumping includes Dublin, Galway, Limerick, DunlaoghaireRathdown, Donegal, Carlow, Fingal, Cork, Longford, Louth, Mayo,
Monaghan, Tipperary North, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath and
Wicklow
Local Authorities
• Local authority inter-community litter challenge in Co. Waterford
As mentioned on Sheet 1, local authorities play a vital part in the
• Louth’s inter-town and village county litter league
National Spring Clean. Not only do they provide for the disposal of
• Dublin City Council’s Environment Department publishes a civic
waste materials collected during your clean up, they also after
magazine – “ClassMATE” – aimed at schoolchildren. It encourages
provided extra clean up materials such as gloves and bags. Please
the formation of ‘Tidy Roads’ clubs within schools to deal with litter
contact your local authority once you have organised a date for
on streets adjacent to schools.
your Clean Up and let them know.
• More than 30 businesses and 57 Irish towns and cities participate in
Contact details including web addresses for all local authorities can
the IBAL/An Taisce litter league. See An Taisce’s website
be found at
(www.antaisce.org) for more details about this initiative.
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdmi
nistration/LocalAuthorities.
How to get the information you need
Gloves
How to get the equipment you need
Litter Pickers and Gloves
ENFO is Ireland’s Public information service on environmental matters, including litter and
waste management. The service provides public access to wide-ranging and authoritative
information in various formats from leaflets to interactive computer models and an
extensive library of material on paper, microfiche and computer disk.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 3
Taken from the An Taisce Waterford Litter Survey, Litter Pollution Act 1997, Dublin City Council’s ‘The Art of
Waste Prevention’, the Tidy Britain Group Information Service, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘2004
Waste Database’ and Local government Management Services Board’s ‘Service Indicators in Local authorities
2006’.
Packaging
About one third of all household waste is packaging waste that can
be recycled. Developments in packaging mean materials are now
considerably lighter than in the past:
• Food cans are 50% lighter than 50 years ago.
• Yogurt pots are 60% lighter than 30 years ago
• Plastic fizzy drinks bottles, first made in the 1970s, are now a third
lighter.
• Glass milk bottles are 50% lighter than 50 years ago.
• Plastic carrier bags are half as thick as 20 years ago.
• Drinks cartons are 16% lighter than 10 years ago.
However, despite these developments, we still have a long way to
go to cut down on the amount of packaging produced and the
amount that ends up as litter or waste.
Metals (e.g. cans, scrap metal)
• Metal and Aluminium cans are fully recyclable – recycling
aluminium saves up to 95% of the primary energy required to
make a new can.
• Scrap metal - from old cars to copper pipes - is worth money.
Phone your local scrap metal merchants for prices and guidelines.
Paper (e.g. newspapers,
magazines)
• Each tonne of paper recycled saves
15average-sized trees, as well as their
surrounding habitat and wildlife.
• Plant pots for the garden can be made from
recycled newspapers. Once the plant has beer
placed in the soil, the pot begins to decay until
it finally it disappears a few months later.
Glass (e.g. glass bottles and
Jars)
3
• In Ireland 60% of glass from domestic and 20.6% of
glass from commercial sources is recycled, with the
remainder going to landfill.
• Glass can be recycled again and again - effectively
forever! Every tonne of glass used saves the
equivalent of 135 litres of oil and replaces 1.2 tonnes
of raw materials.
Plastic (e.g. carrier bags)
• From March 4th 2002 an environmental levy has been
charged, at 15 cent per bag, on plastic shopping bags. This
was introduced to reduce the huge number of plastic
shopping bags wasted every day. So make sure you have
YOUR re-usable bag with you every time you go shopping!
• A lot of plastic containers and plastic packaging are made from
substances called PET or PETE which can be recycled. It is
estimated that well over 70 million plastic PET bottles are sold in
Ireland each year. In 2004 only 21% of Irish household plastic
packaging was recycled.
Environmental Organisations
Nature Conservation
ENFO
Conservation Volunteers
Environmental Information Service
e-mail: [email protected]
Steward’s House,
Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin 14
Tel: 01 4952878
Fax: 01 4952879
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.cvi.ie
EPA
Birdwatch Ireland
PO Box 3000
PO box 12,
Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 2819878
Fax: 01 2810997
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.birdwatchireland.ie
17 St. Andrew Street, Dublin 2
Tel: 1890 200 191 or 01 8882001
Fax: 01-8882946
Website: www.enfo.ie
Johnstown Castle Estate, Co. Wexford
Tel: 053 60600
Fax: 053 60699
Website: www.epa.ie
Department of the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government
Custom House, Dublin 1
Tel: 01 8882000
LoCall: 1890 202 021
Fax: 01 8882888
Website: www.environ.ie
e-mail: press–[email protected].
Repak Ltd
Red Cow Interchage Estate
1 Ballymount Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Tel: 01 4670190
Fax: 01 4670197
Website: www.repak.ie
Fáilte Ireland
Baggot Street Bridge, Dublin 2
Other Household Waste (e.g. food
scraps, books, toys)
Tel 01 8556821
• Your waste can have value to someone else – don’t throw it away!
Why not take good quality old clothes, books, toys and bric-a-brac to
charity shops or car boot sales. Textiles (e.g. sheets, curtains and
clothes unsuited for resale) can be given to charities for recycling, to
recycling organisations and some recycling bring centres also take
them.
• About one third of household refuse is garden and kitchen waste. Help
to reduce the volume of your refuse by adding vegetable peelings, fruit
skins, tea bags, paper towels, carpet dust and garden waste to your
compost heap, bin or wormery.
• Another third of the dustbin is paper - ask your dentist or doctor if they
would like old magazines for their waiting room and support paper
recycling schemes.
e-mail: [email protected]
Fax 01 6764764
Forbairt (Enterprise Ireland)
Glasnevin, Dublin 9
Tel: 8082000
Website: www.enterprise-ireland.com
Coillte Teoranta-The Irish Forestry Board
Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow
Tree Council of Ireland
Seismograph House,
Rathfarnham Castle, Rathfarnham,
Co. Dublin
Tel: 01 4931313
Fax: 01 4931317
e-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.treecouncil.ie
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
Bog of Allen Nature Center,
Lullymore, Rathangan,
Co. Kildare
Tel: 045 860133
Fax: 01 8722397
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ipcc.ie
Other Organisations
Sonairte
National Ecology Centre
The Ninch
Laytown
Co. Meath
Tel: 041 9827572
Fax: 041 9828130
www.sonairte.org
Tel: 01 2011111
National Environmental Education Centre
Fax 01 2011199
Knocksink Wood National Nature Reserve
Enniskerry,
Co. Wicklow
Tel: 0404 45656
www.knocksinkwood.org
www.coillte.ie
The Chambers of Commerce Ireland
Merrion Square, Dublin 2
Tel 01 6612888
Fax 01 6612811
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment Ltd
e-mail [email protected]
9 Upper Mount St., Dublin 2.
Website: www.chambers.ie
Tel: 01 6425741
Email: [email protected]
How to make useful contacts
• Litter fines have increased enormously since 2002.
• The maximum fine for litter is now €127,000, an increase from
€1905.
• Littering in a public space can be subject to an on-the spot fine of
€150. In 2006 a total of 26,038 on-the-spot fines and 2,239
prosecutions were issued nationwide.
• It takes a whopping 80-100 years for an aluminium can to degrade
naturally. Glass takes a million years.
• It takes up to 2 years for a banana skin to disappear!
• Cleaning the streets of Ireland costs over €77 million euro.
• Cleaning the streets of Dublin city alone, cost over €23 million in
2004.
• In a recent An Taisce survey, the most prevalent forms of litter
were found to be cigarette ends and discarded chewing gum!
• It costs on average 9 times more to sweep litter from the streets
than to collect it at the doorstep.
• Failte Ireland receive thousands of complaints every year about
litter in Ireland – for many tourists, it is their number one concern.
• In 2004 Irish local authorities collected over 69,500 tonnes of
street cleaning waste. Disposing of the over 19,000 tonnes of
street cleaning waste collected annually by Dublin City Council’s
Cleansing Division, requires a land bank equivalent in size to St
Stephen’s Green filled to the rooftop levels of surrounding
buildings!
What everyone should know about litter
Some Litter Facts
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 4
M+H Supplies Ltd
K and S Industrial Supplies Ltd
22 Seafort Avenue
Unit 2, Greenogue Business Park
Dublin 4
Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
Tel: 01-2691110
Tel: 01 4587976
Mobile 087-22437096
Anderco Safety (Ireland) Ltd
Fax: 01-2691714
Industrial Estate
Erin Health &Safety Ltd
Little Island, Cork
Llewynn House
Tel: 021 4351600
New Brighton Terrace
Refuse Sacks
Bray
Co. Wicklow
TS O’Connor & Son Ltd
Tel: 01 2864995
Unit C, 67 Heather Road
Sandyford Ind. Estate, Dublin 18
Litter Pickers
M&G Ltd
36 Cookstown Ind. Estate
Belgard Rd
Tallaght
Tel: 01 2955696
Shabra Plastics and Packaging
Ardee Road, Carrickmacross
Co. Monaghan
Tel: 042 9749444
Dublin 24
Omega Packaging Ltd.
Tel: 01 4511144
Unit 35, Beechwood Close
Fortwilton Ltd
Unit 6
Cedar Estate
Killarney Road
Bray
Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 2760111
Boghall Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 2869844
Your Local Authority may provide refuse sacks,
litter pickers, gloves, skips and collection of Litter
after your event
ENFO is a service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
ENFO has a drop-in centre and library at 17 Andrew st. Dublin 2. Opening times: 10.00 to 17.00
(except Sundays and public holidays). Tel: 1890 200 191. Web:www.enfo.ie
WASTE HIERARCHY PYRAMID – WHAT WE SHOULD BE AIMING FOR!
Your local authority can provide also you with
most favoured option
all the information you need about the waste
3
management services in your area, including
PREVENTION
Bring Banks and Recycling Centres, and specific
MINIMISATION
details of your local Pay by Use scheme.
REUSE
For the purpose of planning waste management in
RECYCLING
ENERGY RECOVERY
DISPOSAL
Ireland, some counties have grouped together to
provide a shared solution and some counties are
going it alone. However, all counties have a waste
management plan that has set broad objectives and
targets.
least favoured option
Source: www.repak.ie
OTHER INFORMATION LEAFLETS AND WEBSITES
• The ‘Race Against Waste’ have a range of information guides on
Litter; Waste; the three R’s: reduce – reuse – recycle; the
environmental impacts of backyard burning and how to compost.
Tel: 1890-667639 Web: www.raceagainstwaste.ie
• Many local authorities have joined together to create combined
waste information websites such as www.wastenot.ie,
www.connaughtwaste.ieand www.dublinwaste.ie. These sites
contain information on litter and waste.
• The websites www.litter.ie and www.environ.ie contain reports on
litter in Ireland, national and local authority litter management
plans and on best practice guidelines from around the country.
Some innovative forms of ant-litter action undertaken
by local authorities are:
• ‘Naming and shaming’ litter offenders by local
authorities include Dublin City, Galway Dun LaoghaireRathdown, South Dublin, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, Sligo,
Cork and Westmeath.
A number of local authorities are undertaking innovative
forms of anti-litter action, such as:
• ‘Naming and shaming’ litter offenders by local authorities
inludes Dublin, Galway, Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin,
Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, Sligo, Cork, Westmeath and Wicklow
• A Free Phone Service to allow the public to report instances of
illegal dumping includes Dublin, Galway, Limerick, DunlaoghaireRathdown, Donegal, Carlow, Fingal, Cork, Longford, Louth, Mayo,
Monaghan, Tipperary North, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath and
Wicklow
Local Authorities
• Local authority inter-community litter challenge in Co. Waterford
As mentioned on Sheet 1, local authorities play a vital part in the
• Louth’s inter-town and village county litter league
National Spring Clean. Not only do they provide for the disposal of
• Dublin City Council’s Environment Department publishes a civic
waste materials collected during your clean up, they also after
magazine – “ClassMATE” – aimed at schoolchildren. It encourages
provided extra clean up materials such as gloves and bags. Please
the formation of ‘Tidy Roads’ clubs within schools to deal with litter
contact your local authority once you have organised a date for
on streets adjacent to schools.
your Clean Up and let them know.
• More than 30 businesses and 57 Irish towns and cities participate in
Contact details including web addresses for all local authorities can
the IBAL/An Taisce litter league. See An Taisce’s website
be found at
(www.antaisce.org) for more details about this initiative.
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdmi
nistration/LocalAuthorities.
How to get the information you need
Gloves
How to get the equipment you need
Litter Pickers and Gloves
ENFO is Ireland’s Public information service on environmental matters, including litter and
waste management. The service provides public access to wide-ranging and authoritative
information in various formats from leaflets to interactive computer models and an
extensive library of material on paper, microfiche and computer disk.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 3
Taken from the An Taisce Waterford Litter Survey, Litter Pollution Act 1997, Dublin City Council’s ‘The Art of
Waste Prevention’, the Tidy Britain Group Information Service, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘2004
Waste Database’ and Local government Management Services Board’s ‘Service Indicators in Local authorities
2006’.
Packaging
About one third of all household waste is packaging waste that can
be recycled. Developments in packaging mean materials are now
considerably lighter than in the past:
• Food cans are 50% lighter than 50 years ago.
• Yogurt pots are 60% lighter than 30 years ago
• Plastic fizzy drinks bottles, first made in the 1970s, are now a third
lighter.
• Glass milk bottles are 50% lighter than 50 years ago.
• Plastic carrier bags are half as thick as 20 years ago.
• Drinks cartons are 16% lighter than 10 years ago.
However, despite these developments, we still have a long way to
go to cut down on the amount of packaging produced and the
amount that ends up as litter or waste.
Metals (e.g. cans, scrap metal)
• Metal and Aluminium cans are fully recyclable – recycling
aluminium saves up to 95% of the primary energy required to
make a new can.
• Scrap metal - from old cars to copper pipes - is worth money.
Phone your local scrap metal merchants for prices and guidelines.
Paper (e.g. newspapers,
magazines)
• Each tonne of paper recycled saves
15average-sized trees, as well as their
surrounding habitat and wildlife.
• Plant pots for the garden can be made from
recycled newspapers. Once the plant has beer
placed in the soil, the pot begins to decay until
it finally it disappears a few months later.
Glass (e.g. glass bottles and
Jars)
3
• In Ireland 60% of glass from domestic and 20.6% of
glass from commercial sources is recycled, with the
remainder going to landfill.
• Glass can be recycled again and again - effectively
forever! Every tonne of glass used saves the
equivalent of 135 litres of oil and replaces 1.2 tonnes
of raw materials.
Plastic (e.g. carrier bags)
• From March 4th 2002 an environmental levy has been
charged, at 15 cent per bag, on plastic shopping bags. This
was introduced to reduce the huge number of plastic
shopping bags wasted every day. So make sure you have
YOUR re-usable bag with you every time you go shopping!
• A lot of plastic containers and plastic packaging are made from
substances called PET or PETE which can be recycled. It is
estimated that well over 70 million plastic PET bottles are sold in
Ireland each year. In 2004 only 21% of Irish household plastic
packaging was recycled.
Environmental Organisations
Nature Conservation
ENFO
Conservation Volunteers
Environmental Information Service
e-mail: [email protected]
Steward’s House,
Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin 14
Tel: 01 4952878
Fax: 01 4952879
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.cvi.ie
EPA
Birdwatch Ireland
PO Box 3000
PO box 12,
Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 2819878
Fax: 01 2810997
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.birdwatchireland.ie
17 St. Andrew Street, Dublin 2
Tel: 1890 200 191 or 01 8882001
Fax: 01-8882946
Website: www.enfo.ie
Johnstown Castle Estate, Co. Wexford
Tel: 053 60600
Fax: 053 60699
Website: www.epa.ie
Department of the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government
Custom House, Dublin 1
Tel: 01 8882000
LoCall: 1890 202 021
Fax: 01 8882888
Website: www.environ.ie
e-mail: press–[email protected].
Repak Ltd
Red Cow Interchage Estate
1 Ballymount Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Tel: 01 4670190
Fax: 01 4670197
Website: www.repak.ie
Fáilte Ireland
Baggot Street Bridge, Dublin 2
Other Household Waste (e.g. food
scraps, books, toys)
Tel 01 8556821
• Your waste can have value to someone else – don’t throw it away!
Why not take good quality old clothes, books, toys and bric-a-brac to
charity shops or car boot sales. Textiles (e.g. sheets, curtains and
clothes unsuited for resale) can be given to charities for recycling, to
recycling organisations and some recycling bring centres also take
them.
• About one third of household refuse is garden and kitchen waste. Help
to reduce the volume of your refuse by adding vegetable peelings, fruit
skins, tea bags, paper towels, carpet dust and garden waste to your
compost heap, bin or wormery.
• Another third of the dustbin is paper - ask your dentist or doctor if they
would like old magazines for their waiting room and support paper
recycling schemes.
e-mail: [email protected]
Fax 01 6764764
Forbairt (Enterprise Ireland)
Glasnevin, Dublin 9
Tel: 8082000
Website: www.enterprise-ireland.com
Coillte Teoranta-The Irish Forestry Board
Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow
Tree Council of Ireland
Seismograph House,
Rathfarnham Castle, Rathfarnham,
Co. Dublin
Tel: 01 4931313
Fax: 01 4931317
e-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.treecouncil.ie
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
Bog of Allen Nature Center,
Lullymore, Rathangan,
Co. Kildare
Tel: 045 860133
Fax: 01 8722397
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ipcc.ie
Other Organisations
Sonairte
National Ecology Centre
The Ninch
Laytown
Co. Meath
Tel: 041 9827572
Fax: 041 9828130
www.sonairte.org
Tel: 01 2011111
National Environmental Education Centre
Fax 01 2011199
Knocksink Wood National Nature Reserve
Enniskerry,
Co. Wicklow
Tel: 0404 45656
www.knocksinkwood.org
www.coillte.ie
The Chambers of Commerce Ireland
Merrion Square, Dublin 2
Tel 01 6612888
Fax 01 6612811
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment Ltd
e-mail [email protected]
9 Upper Mount St., Dublin 2.
Website: www.chambers.ie
Tel: 01 6425741
Email: [email protected]
How to make useful contacts
• Litter fines have increased enormously since 2002.
• The maximum fine for litter is now €127,000, an increase from
€1905.
• Littering in a public space can be subject to an on-the spot fine of
€150. In 2006 a total of 26,038 on-the-spot fines and 2,239
prosecutions were issued nationwide.
• It takes a whopping 80-100 years for an aluminium can to degrade
naturally. Glass takes a million years.
• It takes up to 2 years for a banana skin to disappear!
• Cleaning the streets of Ireland costs over €77 million euro.
• Cleaning the streets of Dublin city alone, cost over €23 million in
2004.
• In a recent An Taisce survey, the most prevalent forms of litter
were found to be cigarette ends and discarded chewing gum!
• It costs on average 9 times more to sweep litter from the streets
than to collect it at the doorstep.
• Failte Ireland receive thousands of complaints every year about
litter in Ireland – for many tourists, it is their number one concern.
• In 2004 Irish local authorities collected over 69,500 tonnes of
street cleaning waste. Disposing of the over 19,000 tonnes of
street cleaning waste collected annually by Dublin City Council’s
Cleansing Division, requires a land bank equivalent in size to St
Stephen’s Green filled to the rooftop levels of surrounding
buildings!
What everyone should know about litter
Some Litter Facts
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:09 pm
Page 9
For immediate release
1st – 30th April
An Taisce’s National Spring Clean is sweeping the nation to help rid Ireland of litter. The campaign
will run throughout the month of April, with thousands of people taking action and looking after
their environment.
This is what is happening in your area:
Date:
Time:
Target your Media
Contact the newsdesk of your local newspaper, radio or TV to cover
your story - you can get the contact number from the Golden Pages or
Directory Enquiries. An Taisce also has a media database and would be
Brush up on
the Broadcast Media
Before doing your radio or television
interview, check whether it is going to
be live or recorded, and whether
anyone else is going to be interviewed. If
they decide to interview someone else as
well, find out who it is going to be - they
may try to make the story controversial.
5
happy to provide you with information for your area. Let them know at
A key to interview success is to think of the
least one week before the event so that they can put the date in their
maximum three most important points you want
diary. Then contact them a day before to remind them of your event. if
to put across. Speak clearly and slowly and try to
you need help, the Public Relations department or Press Office at your
forget the microphones - just imagine you are
local authority may be able to give you some advice or useful contacts.
having a normal conversation. It is difficult, but the
Stealing the Headlines
more relaxed you sound, the better the interview
Different newspapers, TV or radio programmes cover many kinds of
will be. Avoid reading from a script as it sounds
stories. It is important to emphasise different aspects of your event to
unnatural.
the different types of media.
Remember, TV stations will require an impressive visual
Ensure that your event is at a convenient time for the media. Photocalls
event for their story, whereas radio journalists prefer
in the morning are preferable so that deadlines can be met for evening
good audio sound effects to create an atmosphere. Why
newspapers or broadcasts.
not ask your local T.D. to come along and support your
event?
Provide the media with an interesting angle to ensure that your story
Venue:
Group/Organisation:
Event Details:
is covered. Make sure you let the media know:
Publicity after the Event
• who is taking part;
if the media did not manage to cover your event, why not
• when your activity is taking place;
send them the details of how your event went, i.e. how much
• where you are cleaning up;
litter was collected, how many people took part? A good
• why you chose that particular location;
photograph would also be useful.
• what is interesting, unusual, or unique about your event;
Remember - an unusual event, celebrity participation, a good
• how you are getting a grip on litter
photo opportunity, of a newsworthy story, are more likely to be
used by the media.
Do not be disheartened if the media do not cover your story - it all
depends on the news on the day. Just make sure that your volunteers
have as much fun as possible - the media coverage is a bonus.
Permeating the PRESS
For further information contact:
Name:
What kind of stories do your local newspapers run? Are they fun
stories, serious articles or do they generally focus on community
activities? Now sell your event to them accordingly, by adapting your
story to suit their tone.
Telephone:
If you are arranging a photo-call, research what kind of photographs are
used in the publication. Participants wearing tabards, carrying unusual
Further information on the campaign is available from the National Spring Clean Manager, An Taisce, Tel: 01-400 2220.
items of litter, always make for lively photographs.
Make sure you know the frequency of the newspaper and which areas
it covers. If it is a weekly newspaper which comes on a Thursday, their
deadline is often early Tuesday morning, but it is better to contact
them on Friday, especially if you have a photograph. You may want to
plan your event to suit as many different types of media as possible.
How to contact the Media
Date:
Diary Date
Diary Date
Clean ups can be excellent community events and make great local
stories. Make your clean up imaginative and let your local media
know what you are doing - after all you deserve some recognition!
Read the following guidelines and send the press release on the
reverse of this sheet one week before your event.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:09 pm
Page 9
For immediate release
1st – 30th April
An Taisce’s National Spring Clean is sweeping the nation to help rid Ireland of litter. The campaign
will run throughout the month of April, with thousands of people taking action and looking after
their environment.
This is what is happening in your area:
Date:
Time:
Target your Media
Contact the newsdesk of your local newspaper, radio or TV to cover
your story - you can get the contact number from the Golden Pages or
Directory Enquiries. An Taisce also has a media database and would be
Brush up on
the Broadcast Media
Before doing your radio or television
interview, check whether it is going to
be live or recorded, and whether
anyone else is going to be interviewed. If
they decide to interview someone else as
well, find out who it is going to be - they
may try to make the story controversial.
5
happy to provide you with information for your area. Let them know at
A key to interview success is to think of the
least one week before the event so that they can put the date in their
maximum three most important points you want
diary. Then contact them a day before to remind them of your event. if
to put across. Speak clearly and slowly and try to
you need help, the Public Relations department or Press Office at your
forget the microphones - just imagine you are
local authority may be able to give you some advice or useful contacts.
having a normal conversation. It is difficult, but the
Stealing the Headlines
more relaxed you sound, the better the interview
Different newspapers, TV or radio programmes cover many kinds of
will be. Avoid reading from a script as it sounds
stories. It is important to emphasise different aspects of your event to
unnatural.
the different types of media.
Remember, TV stations will require an impressive visual
Ensure that your event is at a convenient time for the media. Photocalls
event for their story, whereas radio journalists prefer
in the morning are preferable so that deadlines can be met for evening
good audio sound effects to create an atmosphere. Why
newspapers or broadcasts.
not ask your local T.D. to come along and support your
event?
Provide the media with an interesting angle to ensure that your story
Venue:
Group/Organisation:
Event Details:
is covered. Make sure you let the media know:
Publicity after the Event
• who is taking part;
if the media did not manage to cover your event, why not
• when your activity is taking place;
send them the details of how your event went, i.e. how much
• where you are cleaning up;
litter was collected, how many people took part? A good
• why you chose that particular location;
photograph would also be useful.
• what is interesting, unusual, or unique about your event;
Remember - an unusual event, celebrity participation, a good
• how you are getting a grip on litter
photo opportunity, of a newsworthy story, are more likely to be
used by the media.
Do not be disheartened if the media do not cover your story - it all
depends on the news on the day. Just make sure that your volunteers
have as much fun as possible - the media coverage is a bonus.
Permeating the PRESS
For further information contact:
Name:
What kind of stories do your local newspapers run? Are they fun
stories, serious articles or do they generally focus on community
activities? Now sell your event to them accordingly, by adapting your
story to suit their tone.
Telephone:
If you are arranging a photo-call, research what kind of photographs are
used in the publication. Participants wearing tabards, carrying unusual
Further information on the campaign is available from the National Spring Clean Manager, An Taisce, Tel: 01-400 2220.
items of litter, always make for lively photographs.
Make sure you know the frequency of the newspaper and which areas
it covers. If it is a weekly newspaper which comes on a Thursday, their
deadline is often early Tuesday morning, but it is better to contact
them on Friday, especially if you have a photograph. You may want to
plan your event to suit as many different types of media as possible.
How to contact the Media
Date:
Diary Date
Diary Date
Clean ups can be excellent community events and make great local
stories. Make your clean up imaginative and let your local media
know what you are doing - after all you deserve some recognition!
Read the following guidelines and send the press release on the
reverse of this sheet one week before your event.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 6
6
How to Recycle
Remember the 3 Rs:
Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
recycling centre/civic amenity site
for recycling. No Yogurt cartons,
The best way to reduce the impact of waste on the environment is to
spread tubs, Polystyrene, DIY or
avoid producing it in the first place. Waste generation is in the increase.
Chemical bottles.
Household and commercial waste increased by over 300,000 tonnes
• Glass – do not mix colours of glass, as
between 2002 and 2004 to nearly 3 million tonnes in 2004. YOU can
colour contamination destroys the quality
make a positive difference by thinking about the impact of how you shop:
of recycled material. Blue glass should go
• Avoid products that use excess packaging.
into the green glass container. Recycle all
• Buy refills where possible. If practical, buy one large container rather
household bottles and jars. No Ceramic,
than several little ones – it uses less packaging and is cheaper too.
Pyrex, Cookware or glassware should be
Many printer cartridges can now be refilled in special shops or donated
placed in recycling banks.
to charity for recycling.
• Recycling facilities - make full use of the
• Choose loose fruit and vegetables, avoid pre-packaged ones.
available recycling facilities in your area. If you
• Buy concentrated products where possible, e.g. concentrated washing
don’t know where they are, contact your local
detergent - these use less packaging.
authority who will provide you with a list or visit
Reuse
www.repak.ie . Tetra Pak cartons, Waste electrical
• Avoid using polystyrene cups that will be thrown away, instead use
equipment and white goods, computers, textiles,
washable mugs.
timber, metals, tyres, batteries, cds and videos and
• Use cloth napkins and dishcloths instead of paper ones.
many other items can be brought to most Civic
• Use rechargeable batteries to save yourself money and to keep toxic
Amenity recycling centres. Check what items your local
metals found in some batteries out of the waste stream.
recycling centres take with your local authority. Phones
• SNUB - Say No to Unwanted Bags. Always use a reusable shopping
and ink cartridges can be given to a range of charities for
bag, or reuse plastic bags. Don’t accept bags you don’t need!
recycling. Ink cartridges can also be refilled in special
shops or by various organisations nationwide.
Recycle
•
It is especially important to remember to recycle during
The combined recycling rate of household and commercial waste
your NSC clean-up event. That way, not only are you
(municipal waste) in 2004 was 32.8%. Of this 19.5% of household and
removing the litter from your area, but you are also ensuring
50.8% of commercial waste was recycled. Recycling helps reduce the
that recyclable litter does not simply end up at landfill. If
need for new materials to be produced, which in turn helps to protect
practical, maybe one person on your litter-pick can collect cans,
scarce natural resources. Recycling also reduces the amount going to
another plastics, another paper etc. At the end of your clean-up
landfill sites - manmade holes in the ground where waste is buried.
event, be sure to bring your recyclable litter to your nearest
Space in landfills is running out fast. It was estimated in 2004 that the
recycling facility – otherwise it may just end up as litter again!
combined landfill capacity of Ireland’s 34 municipal landfills is only eight
years.
To encourage recycling in your home introduce separate bins for
• Milk bottles - the average milk bottle is reused many times before it is
Rubbish, Dry Recyclables and Compost. Store used glass, plastic
recycled. Rinse and then return them to your milkman.
bottles and cans in your garden shed or garage and make one trip for
• Old clothes - take your old clothes and shoes to charity shops, jumble
all materials to your nearest recycling centre.
sales or clothes banks to be reused.
Composting
• Aluminium foil - clean, well-compacted aluminium foil is a valuable
• If you have a garden, why not start a compost heap using kitchen
source of income for many charity shops. Check with your local charity
food and garden waste? Organic materials recycled in this way
shop to see if they accept washed bottle tops and tin foil.
provide valuable nutrients for your soil. Compost also improves the soil
• Aluminium cans - almost 60% of the cans used in Ireland each year are
structure and encourages a more vigorous root system.
made of aluminium and they are 100% recyclable. Up to 95% of the
energy used in primary aluminium production is saved by recycling. Take • Don’t use cooked foods, especially cooked meats, to make compost.
your cans to recycling banks. Crushing your used cans will save space in • If you have a small garden, a compost bin or a wormery composter
takes up less space and produces ready to use compost more quickly
the kitchen and means that more can be squeezed into the recycling
than a traditional compost heap. Try starting a community compost heap
bank.
with your friends and neighbours.
• Plastic bottles – most household plastic packaging is recyclable. Most
Minimisation of Waste
plastic containers are coded by numbers 1 to 6 or by letters (such as
PET, PETE, LDPE, PP, PS) according to their plastic type. Check with your
local recycling centre for which types of plastic they take. Wash, Squash
and remove the lids and bring your clean bottles to your nearest
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
Av. de Broqueville 12
B- 1150 Brussels
Tel : + 322 775 63 63
Fax : + 322 779 05 31
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.eaa.net
Recoverable Resources Co-op Ltd.
Unit 3, Hibernian Industrial Estate
Greenhills Rd,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24
Tel: 01 4525969
Fax: 01 4525343
(Operate a “Buy Back” centre in Tallaght
where you can bring your aluminium
cans, have them weighed and get paid
on the spot)
Returnbatt
Unit 35,
Kildare Enterprise Centre,
Kildare,
Tel: 045 878080
Fax: 045 878150
(Provides a recovery service for used
batteries)
Rehab Recycling Partnership
Rehab Group,
Beach Road,
Sandymount, Dublin 4.
Tel: 00 353 (0) 1 2057200
Fax: 00 353 (0) 1 2057202
e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected]
(The Rehabilitation Institute (REHAB)
operates a large number of recycling
banks throughout the country)
RecycleNet
Raghangan
Co. Kildare
Tel: 045 528963
RecycleNet provide a consultation service
for industrial, commercial and trade
operations.
Recycled Plastic Services Ltd
Union Rd,
Kilmacthomas,
Co. Waterford
Tel: 087 2529096
Plastex Environmental Recycling
Lurganboy
Manorhamilton
Co. Leitrim
Tel: 072 56142
Fax: 072 56142
Cré – Composting Association
Crumb Rubber
Ireland ltd.
Mooretown,
Dromiskin,
Dundalk,
Co. Louth.
Freephone: 1800 200 907.
Tel: 042 938 2611
(tyre and rubber recycling)
Folamh - phone and ink
cartridge recycling for
charity
Cre Po. Box. 310
Naas
Co. Kildare
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.cre.ie
30 Dunsogly Park
Ratoath Road
Finglas
Dublin 11
Tel: 01 8340363
Fax: 01 8644 891
WEEE Ireland
Textile Recycling Ltd.
Suite 18 The Mall,
Beacon Court,
Sandyford,
Dublin 18.
Tel: +353 (0) 1 2999320
Fax: +353 (0) 2999320
Email: [email protected]
(recycling waste electrical and electronic
waste)
SWITCH Ltd.,
Unit 5 Feltrim Industrial Estate, Swords,
Co. Dublin
Tel: (01) 8409946
Fax: (01) 8403845
(community training project and social
enterprise which collects and recycles IT
equipment to sell back into the
community)
6
Belgard Road
Tallaght
Dublin 24
Tel: 01 4625095
Fax: 01 4625994
www.freecycle.org
An international grassroots movement
of individuals and groups who exchange
items for free via this website.
Information on local recycling depots,
Civic Amenity and collection services
are available from your local authority’s
Environment section or by visiting
www.repak.ie
Local Authorities and the Local
Environment
Local authorities have a special role to play in protecting and improving
Posters and Signs
the local environment. Each county council and city council should have
The law forbids the putting up of
a litter management plan which indicates the extent of the local
posters/signs on poles or on other
problem and the measures to be taken to counteract it. Contact your
structures in public places without the
local authority to find out details of the litter management plan for
written permission of the relevant owner,
your area.
occupier or person in charge and the local
authority.
Fines
Taken from the ‘Litter Action & Local Image’ leaflet produced by the Department of the Environment
and Local Government
Advertising Flyers
The placing of advertising leaflets on car
8
It is illegal to drop litter. Streets, parks and open spaces should be kept
windscreens is prohibited and if you are proposing
clean and litter-free. You could be fined €150 on-the-spot for dropping
to distribute advertising leaflets in the street, you
litter by a litter warden, community warden or a member of the Garda
should first check with the council to see if they
Síochana. Fly-tipping, or illegal dumping, is also subject to the
have introduced any local litter restrictions, which
maximum fine of €127,000. If prosecuted and convicted you could
they are entitled to do.
also be required to cover the legal costs and expenses of the Local
Authority involved.
Public Places
If you are the owner or the person responsible for a
Remember it is illegal to burn waste without permission. Burning
place to which the public have access, you are obliged to
waste releases pollution and harmful dioxides into the air. If you are
keep the
giving waste items to a third party to dispose of on your behalf make
place litter-free, regardless of how the litter
sure that they have valid and in-date permits and documents. When
got there. This applies to any public place
waste operators who act illegally are caught, both they and those who
which may include the precincts of a supermarket, shopping
supplied them with waste for disposal can be prosecuted.
centre, a school campus,
Many thousands of tonnes of litter and waste are illegally burnt and
a public park, a train, a bus station, etc.
dumped in Ireland each year (creating a serious pollution hazard). 80%
Major Events
of local authorities reported these activities as widespread in their
The promoters or organisers of major events
areas in 2004. In 2003 287,000 tonnes of waste can not be accounted
are required to ensure that they have litter control measures in
for and 21% of households have no waste collection service.The Litter
place at the venue and in the surrounding vicinity before, during
Pollution Act has been enforced in Ireland since 1997. All local
and after the event. This applies
authorities and An Garda Siochana are committed to enforcing these
to football matches and other social and sporting events
litter laws and prosecuting litter offenders.
at which large crowds attend.
• The number of on-the-spot fines in 2006 was 26,038.
• In 2006 2,289 prosecutions were issued.
• In 2006 Dublin City Council issued 8,903 on-the-spot fines.
Litter and the Law
EAA (European Aluminum
Association)
Page 5
How to make useful Recycling contacts
How to make useful
recycling contacts:
12:08 pm
Mobile Food Outlets
Operators of mobile food outlets selling fast-food or beverages, or
other outlets such as those selling farm produce are obliged to
Dog Nuisance
provide suitable litter bins in the vicinity of their outlets. They must
Dog owners must now remove their pets’ waste from public places and
also clean up any litter arising from the operation of their outlets
dispose of it in a proper manner. This obligation applies to the
within a radius of 100 metres from same.
following places:
• Public roads and footpaths.
• Areas around shopping centres.
Repak Ltd
• Schools/sports grounds.
Red Cow Interchage Estate
1 Ballymount Road, Clondalkin,
Dublin 22
Tel: 01 4670190
Fax: 01 4670197
Website: www.repak.ie
• Beaches.
• The immediate area surrounding another person’s house.
Taken from the ‘Litter and the Law’ leaflet produced by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local
Government’ and also from the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2004 report, ‘The Nature and Extent of Illegal
Waste Activity in Ireland.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 7
Retailers Bring Back
can be anything with a plug or a battery? You can bring WEEE back to
- Retailers are required by law to
retailers for recycling free of charge when you purchase a new
take back waste electrical and
electrical item of similar type and function. Retailers are also obliged to
electronic equipment from customers
take-back WEEE free of charge on delivery of a new product.
free of charge. Take back is on a one-for-
Alternatively you can bring WEEE back to your local civic amenity site
one basis only and the appliance being
free of charge.
returned must be of a similar type or have
What is WEEE?
WEEE (waste electrical & electronic equipment) includes not only
household electrical equipment such as fridge freezers and washing
machines but also small items like hairdryers, electric tools, remote
controls, battery operated toys, mobile phones - essentially anything
with a plug or a battery.
performed the same function as the new
item purchased. For example, retailers are not
7
obliged to accept a fridge where the consumer
has purchased a toaster.
Where goods are bought over the counter,
retailers must take back the old product in-store
either at the time of sale or within a maximum of
Many people know that they can recycle their old washing machine
15 days of the date of sale. Where a new appliance
but you can also recycle old torches, alarm clocks, electronic toys,
or equipment is being delivered, for example a new
calculators & any small electronic devices from the household.Have a
washing machine, cooker etc., the retailer must take
good spring clean! you would be amazed at the amount of small WEEE
back the old appliance free of charge, and must give at
items in drawers, garages, attics etc.,
least 24 hrs notice of delivery (48 hrs recommended in
the case of appliances that need to be defrosted)(i) on the delivery of a new product, provided the old
product has been disconnected from any utilities and is
ready for immediate collection, other than WEEE that
presents a health and safety risk, (ii) at their premises within
a maximum of 30 days from the date of delivery. Whichever
take-back option a consumer avails of must be free of charge.
Wheelie Bin Symbol The crossed out wheelie bin symbol means DO
NOT dispose of that piece of electrical or electronic
equipment in your household waste as to do so
may cause health risks and harm the environment.
Civic Amenity Sites
Each local authority must accept household WEEE free of charge
at its civic amenity facilities from private householders. Local
authorities can no longer charge gate fees for WEEE from private
householders. Contact your local council for details or visit
A FLAVOUR OF EVENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
9
Drumreilly Spring Clean
Council was so kind to block off
‘The Drumreilly Spring Clean took place on Sunday, 29th April. We would
Chancery Lane for us and they were
like to give a huge thank you to everyone who helped out on the day;
also taking care of the waste-
especially the Gaffney, Connolly, McCartin and Adsley families. Everyone,
disposal (42 bags collected by
particularly the children, worked extremely hard during the afternoon,
7people). Despite the road being
resulting in a total of fourteen bags of rubbish being collected from the
blocked off the traffic was nearly as
roadside in the two mile stretch between Drumcoura Lake Resort and
heavy as ever. Most people did slow
Corrawallen Post Office. The total included four bags of plastic bottles,
down, though and some did even stop to
three bags of drinks cans and seven bags of general litter.
comment positively on our work. The
The event was surprisingly enjoyable and everyone was rewarded with
youngest Spring-cleaner was just 6 years of
tea and cakes in the community centre afterwards. Hopefully, more
age, and the oldest was... No, I won't tell ;-)...
volunteers will take part next time so that a larger area can be tackled.
All in all, our cleanup was a great success for
Thanks also to An Taisce and Leitrim County Council’s Environmental
nature, for An Taisce and for the Laois-Offaly
Department for their support’.
Greens. Thanks to An Taisce and to Offaly CoCo for
Case Studies
Did you know that WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Recycling
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC RECYCLING
your support, for looking after the waste-disposal
'Clean up Clones' – a great success
and for providing rubbish-bags, gloves and
‘On Wednesday evening 25th April the Green-schools committee
equipment. We are looking forward to contributing to
organised the Annual Spring Clean up in Clones. Over 180 people took
next years National Spring Clean, although we will ask
part and it was a wonderful success with the streets litter free in just
the CoCo to allocate a less dangerous spot to us, as we
over an hour. Staff and parents from the school supervised in each
had some near-accidents due to some cars with careless
area, the committee members took names and handed out bags, gloves
drivers speeding by.’
and litter-pickers. Clones U.D.C. gave us a lot of help and they arranged
for the bags to be picked up by council workers and put into skips in the
Spring Clean in Athenry
council yard. The litter was separated into aluminium cans, plastic
‘Last Tuesday the pupils from Coláiste an Eachréidh went to
bottles and general waste – Clones looked a lot cleaner on Wednesday
the park in Athenry for National Spring Clean Week!
night! It would be great if we could keep it this way all the time. We
Múinteoir Aifric organised a meeting with the local
would also like to thank Clones Community Forum, Iónad na nÓg and
Environmental Officer - Shane Coogan, from Galway County
Clones Erne East for their help. All this work followed a visit to Dublin
Council.
by 5th Class pupils for the launch of the Super-valu Tidy Towns Initiative.
He explained his daily duties to the students and handed out
Scoil Chroí Ró Naofa got the invitation to attend this launch in light of
plastic aprons, gloves and plastic bags. Míchéal and Peadar
their success in becoming the first school in Ireland to be awarded the
were given "litter pickers" to pick up dirty litter. The hard work
top prize in the 'Super-valu Primary Schools' Tidy Towns Initiative' in
began!! We broke up into small groups to carry out our various
2006. The children had a great day in the Ark cultural centre in Temple
tasks. The girls cleaned the children’s playground and the boys
Bar where they were interviewed by R.T.E.'s Nationwide programme,
went around the outside of the recreational area.
PRF (Producer Recycling Fund)
www.weeeireland.ie for information on your nearest recycling
The Producer Recycling Fund (PRF) identifies the contribution towards
centre and relevant opening hours.
the environmental management cost involved in the collection and
What Happens to the old equipment?
recyclying of spent/broken/waste electrical and electronic equipment
journalists from national newspapers and also on the podium by Minister
We did our utmost to collect all the litter which included, drinks
WEEE is taken to specialist processing plants, which are authorised to
(WEEE). The full retail price shown by the retailer must be inclusive of
of State for the Environment Batt O'Keefe. Everyone enjoyed the
cans, cigarettes and fast food litter. The teachers took photographs
treat WEEE. The recovery operators ensure that all equipment is All
the PRF. Some electrical and electronic equipment doesn’t have a
carnival atmosphere with jugglers, face painting and balloon modeling
of us working. We were beautiful! We really enjoyed the day!
collected equipment undergoes necessary treatments e.g. removal of
visible Producer Recycling Fund contribution (e.g. toys, watches, IT and
topped off by a wonderful afternoon pop concert with Ronan Johnston
When we thought about it we concluded that people throw away
CFC gases and other hazardous components such as batteries, mercury
telecommunication equipment), but such WEEE can still be recycled and
and his band from 'You're a
containing components. This ensures that WEEE is safely and processed
must be taken back by the retailer free of charge.
Star on R.T.E.’
in an environmentally sound way and the maximum amount of base
Electrical & Electronic Recycling - What
can you do?
materials can be separated out and recovered. Recoverable materials,
such as iron, copper, aluminium, glass and plastic are then reused for
Laois-Offaly
Greens
Re-Use – If your electrical or electronic item is in good working order
the production of new goods.
‘The Laois-Offaly Greens met
and the approaches to the village that had
why not pass it on to a friend or charity that could make good use of
on Saturday, 28-04 at 11:00h
big problems with litter.
it? You can also ‘freecycle’ on free trade websites such as
to clean up Chancery Lane as
We divided the volunteers into groups and
www.dublinwaste.ie
we had agreed with Offaly
set them an area each. The plastic tabards
County Council. Offaly County
too much litter! ‘
Donabate Tidy Towns
Spring Clean.
‘We identified 6 areas in the village centre
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 8
We found that although the centers of the thoroughfares appeared clean
Sunday the 22nd of April was the day
at first that the litter had moved to the hedgerows and ditches and more
we picked to do our Spring Clean Up
out of the way places.
and because we are a costal football club
In total we collected 30 of the large sack-full’s of litter, a high proportion
we decided to clean up our already
being cans, glass and plastic bottles. We were very surprised by how
beautiful beaches. We are Churchill Ladies
much litter there was in our small village and its surrounds.
Football Club with approx 90 registered
One difficulty was in containers for glass bottles as we did not want to
members ranging in age between eight and
put them in the bags for fear of them breaking, so we put them in boxes
twenty eight. We decided to clean Fenit beach
and then brought them to the bottle bank, but next year we hope to find
which is already a Blue Flag beach, Kilfenora
a better solution as the boxes are awkward and heavy to transport
beach and the Spa beach. We had a great turnout
around when picking up the litter.
on the day and surprisingly we found less rubbish
Fingal county council was excellent and collected all of the bags after the
than we expected, which is a good thing, means
clean up was finished.
that maybe people are more litter conscious.
to wear them! The main group stayed for 3 hours from 10am-1pm and
Ardaghey Spring Clean, Co. Monaghan
Spring Clean 2007 turned out to be another major success in the
Ardaghey area last weekend. Spring Clean is a national event during the
month of April. It is organized by An Taisce with the provision of the
WASTE ELECTRICAL AND
ELECTRONIC ITEMS
NEW PRODUCTS
RETAILER
RECYCLING
UNITS
CIVIC
AMENITY
SITE
Why recycle you Electrical and Electronic
Equipment?
WEEE no longer disposed of to landfill, but properly managed.
Reduces the harmful effects caused by hazardous materials in WEEE on
We had a very enjoyable day, sun shining but quite
health and the environment as WEEE is treated in an environmentally
windy, altogether at all three beaches we collected
sound manner.
about 25 bags of litter.
Helps in the conservation of natural resources, as plastics, glass and
metals in WEEE are recovered for reuse.
skips been co-ordinate by the environment section of Monaghan County
Who is …
Council. On a more local footing Spring Clean was organized by Ardaghey
WEEE Ireland is an approved compliance scheme for WEEE. WEEE
Community Development Association, and they in turn co-ordinate the
Ireland is a not for profit company established by producers of
involvement of the local Foroige Club and Rackwallace National School. It
electronic equipment in the Irish market place. Set up August 2005
was great to see so much participation from the youth of the area and
under new Irish Law in response to the EU directive on WEEE.
their enthusiasm to collect litter and clean up the Ardaghey Area gives
the Community a very positive outlook in the race against litter. The
It’s free to recycle
Development Association had also organized a poster competition for the
primary school children of the area and this proved to be a great success.
On arrival to Ardaghey Community Centre the participants viewed all the
Art work and this was followed by a welcoming cup of tea with minerals
and crisps for the younger participants. The presentations of prizes were
then awarded to the winners in the poster competition and then it was
on to the real job of the day. Ardaghey Community Development
Association would like to thank all the people who made Spring Clean
2007 a great success from the committee members who co-ordinate the
poster competition, the local teachers, the Foroige Club Leaders, the
catering staff and most importantly of all the people who walked and
collected litter to enhance our community making it a cleaner safer place
to live – a place that you can be proud of.
www.weeeireland.ie
7
Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Recycling
9
then a smaller group continued in one area.
Churchill Ladies
Football Club,
Tralee, Co. Kerry
Case Studies
lasted about 20 minutes as it was such a glorious day that it was too hot
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
Av. de Broqueville 12
B- 1150 Brussels
Tel : + 322 775 63 63
Fax : + 322 779 05 31
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.eaa.net
Recoverable Resources Co-op Ltd.
Unit 3, Hibernian Industrial Estate
Greenhills Rd,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24
Tel: 01 4525969
Fax: 01 4525343
(Operate a “Buy Back” centre in Tallaght
where you can bring your aluminium
cans, have them weighed and get paid
on the spot)
Returnbatt
Unit 35,
Kildare Enterprise Centre,
Kildare,
Tel: 045 878080
Fax: 045 878150
(Provides a recovery service for used
batteries)
Rehab Recycling Partnership
Rehab Group,
Beach Road,
Sandymount, Dublin 4.
Tel: 00 353 (0) 1 2057200
Fax: 00 353 (0) 1 2057202
e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected]
(The Rehabilitation Institute (REHAB)
operates a large number of recycling
banks throughout the country)
RecycleNet
Raghangan
Co. Kildare
Tel: 045 528963
RecycleNet provide a consultation service
for industrial, commercial and trade
operations.
Recycled Plastic Services Ltd
Union Rd,
Kilmacthomas,
Co. Waterford
Tel: 087 2529096
Plastex Environmental Recycling
Lurganboy
Manorhamilton
Co. Leitrim
Tel: 072 56142
Fax: 072 56142
Cré – Composting Association
Crumb Rubber
Ireland ltd.
Mooretown,
Dromiskin,
Dundalk,
Co. Louth.
Freephone: 1800 200 907.
Tel: 042 938 2611
(tyre and rubber recycling)
Folamh - phone and ink
cartridge recycling for
charity
Cre Po. Box. 310
Naas
Co. Kildare
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.cre.ie
30 Dunsogly Park
Ratoath Road
Finglas
Dublin 11
Tel: 01 8340363
Fax: 01 8644 891
WEEE Ireland
Textile Recycling Ltd.
Suite 18 The Mall,
Beacon Court,
Sandyford,
Dublin 18.
Tel: +353 (0) 1 2999320
Fax: +353 (0) 2999320
Email: [email protected]
(recycling waste electrical and electronic
waste)
SWITCH Ltd.,
Unit 5 Feltrim Industrial Estate, Swords,
Co. Dublin
Tel: (01) 8409946
Fax: (01) 8403845
(community training project and social
enterprise which collects and recycles IT
equipment to sell back into the
community)
6
Belgard Road
Tallaght
Dublin 24
Tel: 01 4625095
Fax: 01 4625994
www.freecycle.org
An international grassroots movement
of individuals and groups who exchange
items for free via this website.
Information on local recycling depots,
Civic Amenity and collection services
are available from your local authority’s
Environment section or by visiting
www.repak.ie
Local Authorities and the Local
Environment
Local authorities have a special role to play in protecting and improving
Posters and Signs
the local environment. Each county council and city council should have
The law forbids the putting up of
a litter management plan which indicates the extent of the local
posters/signs on poles or on other
problem and the measures to be taken to counteract it. Contact your
structures in public places without the
local authority to find out details of the litter management plan for
written permission of the relevant owner,
your area.
occupier or person in charge and the local
authority.
Fines
Taken from the ‘Litter Action & Local Image’ leaflet produced by the Department of the Environment
and Local Government
Advertising Flyers
The placing of advertising leaflets on car
8
It is illegal to drop litter. Streets, parks and open spaces should be kept
windscreens is prohibited and if you are proposing
clean and litter-free. You could be fined €150 on-the-spot for dropping
to distribute advertising leaflets in the street, you
litter by a litter warden, community warden or a member of the Garda
should first check with the council to see if they
Síochana. Fly-tipping, or illegal dumping, is also subject to the
have introduced any local litter restrictions, which
maximum fine of €127,000. If prosecuted and convicted you could
they are entitled to do.
also be required to cover the legal costs and expenses of the Local
Authority involved.
Public Places
If you are the owner or the person responsible for a
Remember it is illegal to burn waste without permission. Burning
place to which the public have access, you are obliged to
waste releases pollution and harmful dioxides into the air. If you are
keep the
giving waste items to a third party to dispose of on your behalf make
place litter-free, regardless of how the litter
sure that they have valid and in-date permits and documents. When
got there. This applies to any public place
waste operators who act illegally are caught, both they and those who
which may include the precincts of a supermarket, shopping
supplied them with waste for disposal can be prosecuted.
centre, a school campus,
Many thousands of tonnes of litter and waste are illegally burnt and
a public park, a train, a bus station, etc.
dumped in Ireland each year (creating a serious pollution hazard). 80%
Major Events
of local authorities reported these activities as widespread in their
The promoters or organisers of major events
areas in 2004. In 2003 287,000 tonnes of waste can not be accounted
are required to ensure that they have litter control measures in
for and 21% of households have no waste collection service.The Litter
place at the venue and in the surrounding vicinity before, during
Pollution Act has been enforced in Ireland since 1997. All local
and after the event. This applies
authorities and An Garda Siochana are committed to enforcing these
to football matches and other social and sporting events
litter laws and prosecuting litter offenders.
at which large crowds attend.
• The number of on-the-spot fines in 2006 was 26,038.
• In 2006 2,289 prosecutions were issued.
• In 2006 Dublin City Council issued 8,903 on-the-spot fines.
Litter and the Law
EAA (European Aluminum
Association)
Page 5
How to make useful Recycling contacts
How to make useful
recycling contacts:
12:08 pm
Mobile Food Outlets
Operators of mobile food outlets selling fast-food or beverages, or
other outlets such as those selling farm produce are obliged to
Dog Nuisance
provide suitable litter bins in the vicinity of their outlets. They must
Dog owners must now remove their pets’ waste from public places and
also clean up any litter arising from the operation of their outlets
dispose of it in a proper manner. This obligation applies to the
within a radius of 100 metres from same.
following places:
• Public roads and footpaths.
• Areas around shopping centres.
Repak Ltd
• Schools/sports grounds.
Red Cow Interchage Estate
1 Ballymount Road, Clondalkin,
Dublin 22
Tel: 01 4670190
Fax: 01 4670197
Website: www.repak.ie
• Beaches.
• The immediate area surrounding another person’s house.
Taken from the ‘Litter and the Law’ leaflet produced by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local
Government’ and also from the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2004 report, ‘The Nature and Extent of Illegal
Waste Activity in Ireland.
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:08 pm
Page 8
We found that although the centers of the thoroughfares appeared clean
Sunday the 22nd of April was the day
at first that the litter had moved to the hedgerows and ditches and more
we picked to do our Spring Clean Up
out of the way places.
and because we are a costal football club
In total we collected 30 of the large sack-full’s of litter, a high proportion
we decided to clean up our already
being cans, glass and plastic bottles. We were very surprised by how
beautiful beaches. We are Churchill Ladies
much litter there was in our small village and its surrounds.
Football Club with approx 90 registered
One difficulty was in containers for glass bottles as we did not want to
members ranging in age between eight and
put them in the bags for fear of them breaking, so we put them in boxes
twenty eight. We decided to clean Fenit beach
and then brought them to the bottle bank, but next year we hope to find
which is already a Blue Flag beach, Kilfenora
a better solution as the boxes are awkward and heavy to transport
beach and the Spa beach. We had a great turnout
around when picking up the litter.
on the day and surprisingly we found less rubbish
Fingal county council was excellent and collected all of the bags after the
than we expected, which is a good thing, means
clean up was finished.
that maybe people are more litter conscious.
to wear them! The main group stayed for 3 hours from 10am-1pm and
Ardaghey Spring Clean, Co. Monaghan
Spring Clean 2007 turned out to be another major success in the
Ardaghey area last weekend. Spring Clean is a national event during the
month of April. It is organized by An Taisce with the provision of the
WASTE ELECTRICAL AND
ELECTRONIC ITEMS
NEW PRODUCTS
RETAILER
RECYCLING
UNITS
CIVIC
AMENITY
SITE
Why recycle you Electrical and Electronic
Equipment?
WEEE no longer disposed of to landfill, but properly managed.
Reduces the harmful effects caused by hazardous materials in WEEE on
We had a very enjoyable day, sun shining but quite
health and the environment as WEEE is treated in an environmentally
windy, altogether at all three beaches we collected
sound manner.
about 25 bags of litter.
Helps in the conservation of natural resources, as plastics, glass and
metals in WEEE are recovered for reuse.
skips been co-ordinate by the environment section of Monaghan County
Who is …
Council. On a more local footing Spring Clean was organized by Ardaghey
WEEE Ireland is an approved compliance scheme for WEEE. WEEE
Community Development Association, and they in turn co-ordinate the
Ireland is a not for profit company established by producers of
involvement of the local Foroige Club and Rackwallace National School. It
electronic equipment in the Irish market place. Set up August 2005
was great to see so much participation from the youth of the area and
under new Irish Law in response to the EU directive on WEEE.
their enthusiasm to collect litter and clean up the Ardaghey Area gives
the Community a very positive outlook in the race against litter. The
It’s free to recycle
Development Association had also organized a poster competition for the
primary school children of the area and this proved to be a great success.
On arrival to Ardaghey Community Centre the participants viewed all the
Art work and this was followed by a welcoming cup of tea with minerals
and crisps for the younger participants. The presentations of prizes were
then awarded to the winners in the poster competition and then it was
on to the real job of the day. Ardaghey Community Development
Association would like to thank all the people who made Spring Clean
2007 a great success from the committee members who co-ordinate the
poster competition, the local teachers, the Foroige Club Leaders, the
catering staff and most importantly of all the people who walked and
collected litter to enhance our community making it a cleaner safer place
to live – a place that you can be proud of.
www.weeeireland.ie
7
Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment Recycling
9
then a smaller group continued in one area.
Churchill Ladies
Football Club,
Tralee, Co. Kerry
Case Studies
lasted about 20 minutes as it was such a glorious day that it was too hot
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:09 pm
Page 10
THE INTERNATIONAL BLUE
FLAG CAMPAIGN
The Blue Flag Programme is one of the most
widely known, most recognised and valued
ecolabels throughout Europe and beyond. It is
awarded to beaches and marinas with excellent environmental
management.
The Programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote
good environmental behaviour among tourists and local populations and
best practice among beach and marina management and staff. The
criteria are designed to work with the legislation of each country. This
ensures that the legislation is being followed or, in some cases, the Blue
Flag sets a higher benchmark than that which already exists.
In 2007 the International Jury awarded the Blue Flag to over 3300
beaches and marinas in 36 countries across Europe, South Africa,
Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean. The Programme is
now in its 20th year in Ireland, in 2007 80 Blue Flags Beaches and 3
Blue Flag Marina’s achieved the standards set out in the Blue Flag
criteria.
The award for the International Blue Flag is based on 29 criteria for
beaches and 22 criteria for marinas, covering four themes:
• Environmental information and education
• Water quality
• Safety and services
• Environmental management
The Blue Flag season for beaches in Ireland coincides with the bathing
10
season which runs from the beginning of
June to the end of August. The marina
season extends until December.
Each year the authority managing the
beach or marina applies for the Blue Flag
award, it is not automatically renewed every
year. An International Jury then decides
whether the beach is eligible for the award.
During the season inspectors assess every Blue
Flag beach and marina to ensure compliance with
criteria. If there are problems they are reported to
the authorities and either the problems are rectified
or the Blue Flag is removed. The public also has an
important part to play in seeing that a beach keeps
its Blue Flag. Litter, uncontrolled dogs, dog fouling,
trampling on dunes, vandalism to facilities are all things
that can cost a beach its flag. If you would like more
information on a Blue Flag beach or marina, or would like
further information please contact An Taisce’s Blue Flag
Manager.
Jimmy McVeigh, Blue Flag Manager, Environmental
Education Unit, An Taisce, 5A Swifts Alley, Francis Street,
Dublin 8. Telephone +353 1 4002210, Fax +353 1 4002285
Website: www.blueflagireland.org.
CLEAN COAST
CAMPAIGN
The Clean Coast project has been established
to improve the environment of the Welsh and
Irish coasts, and to restore the aesthetic appeal
and increase the amenity and economic value
to the community and visitors. The award that a
beach can receive within the project is called the Green Coast
Award. The Green Coast Award is a symbol of excellence. It
acknowledges beaches which meet EU Guideline bathing water
quality standards, but which are also prized for their natural,
unspoiled environment.
Following a pilot scheme between Keep Wales Tidy and Wexford
County Council, the Clean Coast Project has been extended and a
partnership established between An Taisce - The National Trust for
Ireland and Keep Wales Tidy, under the Maritime INTERREG IIIA
Programme, to expand the project in both countries. This project is partfinanced by the European Union and supported in Ireland by the
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as well
as five Local Authorities on the east coast.
In Ireland, the Clean Coast Project is currently being run in counties Meath,
Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford. The project is largely focused on
the establishment of local, community, voluntary Coastcare groups who
‘adopt’ and manage stretches of coastline. The project is open to all and
anyone wishing to get involved will be welcome. The Clean Coast Project
aims to establish, support and promote community group action, with a
focus on the protection of the environment of rural beaches. The project
aims to establish and support community groups called ‘Coastcare’ groups.
These groups act as voluntary wardens and constantly ‘monitor’ their
adopted stretch of coastline.
The groups come up with all the ideas, write the management plans and
undertake projects when and where they want to. To encourage sustainability
of coastcare groups, financial support may be available through limited grants
to groups. This will assist groups to purchase their own equipment, e.g.
gloves, tools, skip hire, etc. The main aim of Coastcare is to establish a sense
of ownership within the local community, where each group will become selfsupporting. Possible projects on adopted beaches could include litter-picks,
habitat improvements, awareness raising, litter surveys, path drainage, access
work, etc. The project is open to everyone. Anybody who wants to get
involved can in some way or another.
For more information contact the project officer: Aidan Gray, Clean Coast
Campaign Officers, Environmental Education Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5A Swift’s
Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 046/9481710/01-4002221 Fax: 014002285. E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
Website: www.cleancoastireland.org.
AN TAISCE –
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR IRELAND
SOME OF OUR
ACHIEVEMENTS
WORKING FOR IRELAND’S FUTURE
• Nearly 2,200 schools take part in our
We are Ireland’s oldest and largest independent, wide-ranging
environmental organisation with 27 voluntary associations throughout
Ireland. Ireland’s environment is under serious threat from the lethal
mixture of unprecedented economic growth, inadequate protection, and a
lack of planning vision. The stakes are high. For generations to come we
will be living with the legacy of the National Development Plan which
between now and 2013, will change the face of Ireland. Without active
intervention now, this legacy will be one of shoddiness – of sprawling
housing estates, overdeveloped coastlines, inadequate public
transportation, squalid town and city centres, and lost natural habitats.
QUALITY OF LIFE
Green Schools project.
• 300,000 people participate in our Annual
National Spring Clean.
• An Taisce was central in saving Temple Bar
and much of Georgian Dublin from demolition.
• We advocated LUAS before it was fashionable.
• We initiated opposition to the burning of
bituminous coal in our cities.
• An Taisce was central to opposition to nuclear
An Taisce is working for a better quality of life for everyone in Ireland,
power at Carnsore Point and to the coal-burning
now and for the future. Our interest is the public interest. Join us in
power station at Moneypoint – which now has to be
getting better planning for the places where we work, rest and play –
closed down to meet Ireland’s CO2 emissions targets
and for proper transport.
as defined by the Kyoto agreement.
A FUTURE FOR OUR HISTORY
An Taisce makes over 2000 submissions a year on planning
matters. Much of this work is hard and unfashionable, but of vital
importance. History is vindicating our independent and long-term stance
on planning issues – just take for example Dublin’s Temple Bar, whose
rejuvenation was first promoted by us.
We hold, in trust for the people of Ireland, 13 of the most important
properties in the country including Mongan Bog, County Offaly;
Kanturk Castle, County Cork; and 6,500 acres of mountainous terrain
at Crocnafarragh, County Donegal.
Through programmes such as Green-Schools, Young Reporters for the
Environment, LEAF (Learning about Forests), Blue Flag for Beaches and
Marinas and the Clean Coast initiative we, in partnership with government
and business, are building the foundations of an environmentally aware
and sensitive nation.
• We consistently opposed the interpretative centres
at Luggala and the Burren.
An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland
Green-Schools is an International environmental
education programme that aims to acknowledge and
encourage whole school action for the environment.
Green-Schools offers a well-defined, controllable way to take
environmental issues from the curriculum and apply them to the dayto-day running of a school. Pupils identify environmental problems
they are responsible for and try to find ways to solve them. GreenSchools is both a programme and an award scheme. The programme
can be adopted by any school using the guidelines given in the
handbook. The award will be given to schools that complete the seven
steps of the programme:
1.
Green-Schools Committee.
2.
Environmental Review.
3.
Action Plan.
4.
Monitoring and Evaluation.
5.
Curriculum Work.
6.
Informing and involving the Wider Community.
7.
Green-Code.
There are currently 42 countries globally operating the programme,
with approximately 20,000 schools registered and working towards
achieving the prestigious Green Flag. In Ireland nearly 2,850 schools,
65% of schools, are registered as green schools. Of these, 1,119
schools have been awarded the coveted green flag. Initially schools
concentrate on the themes of Litter and Waste. Many Green Flag
schools have reached an advanced stage in addressing these problems
and have now moved on to the theme of energy and water. The
Green-Schools campaign is now in its eleventh year in Ireland. The
new theme of Travel is currently being run in 51 schools in the country
and is funded by the DTO. The topics of Energy and Water will only be
addressed following a successful Litter and Waste campaign. GreenSchools is operated in Ireland in partnership with local authorities. All
34 local authorities participate in the scheme. Green-Schools is kindly
sponsored by Greenstar, Coca-Cola Bottlers Ltd and The Wrigley Co. Ltd.
If you would like your school to get involved in Green-Schools, or if
you would like more information about the programme, please
contact:
Cathy Joyce, Greens Schools Manager, Environmental Education
Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5A Swift’s Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8. Tel:
01-4002216. Fax: 01-4002285. E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.greenschoolsireland.com.
An Taisce environmental awareness initiatives
GREEN-SCHOOLS
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:09 pm
Page 11
Name
Address
Telephone Number
Fax Number
Mobile
E-mail
MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY – MINIMUM SUBSCRIPTION RATES – PLEASE TICK
Individual €45
Family €55
Retired or unwaged €20
Student €10
Benefactor (Life) €600
Groups €60
Corporate (min) €250
Payment Method:
Cheque
Cash
Direct Debit
Please return your completed form to:
An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland, Tailor’s Hall, Back Lane, Dublin 8
Instruction to your Bank to pay Direct Debits
Please complete Parts 1 to 4 to instruct your Bank to make payments directly from your account.
Then return the form to: An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland, Tailor’s Hall, Back Lane, Dublin 8
An Taisce’s identification number: 3 0 1 5 6 0
Your membership Number:_______________________
1. Please write the name and full postal address of your bank and branch:
2. Name of Account Holder:
3. Branch Sort Code
An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM
An Taisce, in partnership with the EPA, have created a new
programme called Green Home. The aim of the Green Home
Programme is to raise environmental awareness and support
positive environmental actions amongst parents of Green-School
children and all other householders in the wider community.
The focus of the programme is primarily on Energy and Water
Conservation along with Waste Prevention. A programme like this
is very timely given the huge concern regarding climate change
and rising fuel prices. It is hoped that by engaging in energy
efficient behavior in the home, the result will be a reduction in
service bills which will benefit the pockets of all the participants
in this programme. Participants are also encouraged to reduce
their waste output through reducing excess packaged purchases,
through composting and also recycling. The higher ideal is that
Green-Home participants will all contribute in a very positive
way towards helping to reduce our carbon emissions and
reducing their own carbon footprint.
Local Green-Schools play a very important and active role in the
Programme. Children take on the role of informing and
encouraging their parents to take on ‘environmentally friendly’
actions at home. Their parents, grandparents, family members
and all other householders in the community are invited to
partake in this Programme at many levels. Participants can
attend night-time meetings, follow Action Plans and monitor
their progress through Audits. The Green Home meetings are free
of charge and householders get the opportunity to meet each
other in a relaxed and informal setting, sharing ideas and picking
up tips from each other. Thus householders within the
community are empowered to take responsibility for their own
environmental behavior.
Householders from any part of the country can register with the
programme online at www.greenhome.ie. Lots of useful
information is available online and when registered,
householders can see how ‘green’ they are already and take on
suggested action plans to reduce their energy use and waste
output. 17 Green-Schools are currently partaking in this Pilot
Programme.
The Green Home Programme is kindly funded by the EPA’s
National Waste Prevention Programme
For further details on the Programme and how your school
can get involved contact [email protected] or contact
Eileen at 01-4002218
IRISH BUSINESS
AGAINST LITTER
Account Number
Banks may refuse to accept instructions to pay Direct Debits from some types of account.
4. Your instructions to the bank and signature
I instruct you to pay Direct Debits from my account at the request of An Taisce.
· The amounts are variable and are to be debited on or just after the 1st day of ___________ annually.
· I understand that An Taisce may change the amount and dates only after giving me prior notice.
· I will inform the bank in writing if I wish to cancel this instruction.
· I understand that if any Direct Debit is paid which breaks the terms of this instuction, the Bank will make a refund.
· Please cancel all previous standing order/direct debit instructionsin favour of An Taisce.
Signature:_________________________________
Date:________________________________
The Environmental Education Unit of An
Taisce has been commissioned by the
Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL)
group to carry out a series of Litter Surveys in the Republic of
Ireland and in Northern Ireland.
Irish Business Against Litter is an alliance of companies sharing a
belief that continued economic prosperity – notably in the areas
of tourism, food and direct foreign investment – is contingent on
a clean, litter-free environment and that enforcement of litter
laws, as opposed to public awareness campaigns, is the most
effective means of ensuring this in our towns and cities.
The surveys took place in April, July and October, with Carlow
emerging as the overall winner in 2005. IBAL have again
commissioned An Taisce to run the anti-litter league in 2006.
For further information on the Anti-Litter League please contact:
Emlyn Cullen, An Taisce Education Unit,
5A Swift's Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 400 2202.
Fax: 01 400228
Young
Reporters
for the
Environment
10
Young Reporters for the Environment
(YRE) is a European-wide
environmental education programme
developed for secondary schools by the
Foundation for Environmental Education.
Students can work as an entire class
or as a small team to undertake a project
on the environment. The projects must
relate to one of the following themes:
• Agriculture • Coastline • Waste
• Cities • Energy • Water
With a national project, the students carry out
a journalistic enquiry on a local environmental
problem and become directly involved with the
bodies or the individuals concerned. They then
inform the regional public of their findings via the
local media. This can be done through television,
radio, newspapers or exhibitions. The YRE project
provides invaluable experience for students as they
come into direct contact with the key players in their
community. As well as activating an interest in the
local environment, it improves their communication
and journalistic skills and encourages team-work among
the class.
For further information about Young Reporters for the
Environment,contact:
YRE Manager, Environmental Education Unit,
An Taisce, Unit 5A Swift’s Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8.
Tel: 01-400 2202. Fax: 01-4002285.
E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.antaisce.org/projects/youngrep.html
LEARNING ABOUT FORESTS
Learning about Forests is an international
programme that aims to encourage schools,
classes and teachers to use forests for
educational activities. The programme works as an
internet-based network between participating
countries. Over ten countries across Europe are
currently actively involved.
In Ireland the programme was piloted during the 2001-2002 school
year in order to assess the possibilities and feasibility of the LEAF
programme in an Irish educational context.
Check out the international Learning About Forests website at
http://www.learningaboutforests.org
For further information on Learning About Forests, contact:
LEAF Manager Environmental Education Unit, An Taisce,
5A Swift’s Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 400 2202.
Fax: 01 4002285. E-mail: [email protected]
FEE
The European Blue Flag Campaign, Green-Schools, Young
Reporters for the Environment and Learning about Forests
are initiatives of FEE (Foundation for Environmental
Education) and are carried out by the member organisations
of FEE in Europe. An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland is
the Irish member of FEE. Patricia Oliver is the co-ordinator of all FEE
projects in Ireland. Visit the Projects Section of An Taisce’s website;
www.antaisce.org/projects. Get the European perspective on the FEE
initiatives at the FEE website: www.fee-international.org
G010 A4 Information Sheets imposed
20/2/08
12:09 pm
Page 10
THE INTERNATIONAL BLUE
FLAG CAMPAIGN
The Blue Flag Programme is one of the most
widely known, most recognised and valued
ecolabels throughout Europe and beyond. It is
awarded to beaches and marinas with excellent environmental
management.
The Programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote
good environmental behaviour among tourists and local populations and
best practice among beach and marina management and staff. The
criteria are designed to work with the legislation of each country. This
ensures that the legislation is being followed or, in some cases, the Blue
Flag sets a higher benchmark than that which already exists.
In 2007 the International Jury awarded the Blue Flag to over 3300
beaches and marinas in 36 countries across Europe, South Africa,
Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean. The Programme is
now in its 20th year in Ireland, in 2007 80 Blue Flags Beaches and 3
Blue Flag Marina’s achieved the standards set out in the Blue Flag
criteria.
The award for the International Blue Flag is based on 29 criteria for
beaches and 22 criteria for marinas, covering four themes:
• Environmental information and education
• Water quality
• Safety and services
• Environmental management
The Blue Flag season for beaches in Ireland coincides with the bathing
10
season which runs from the beginning of
June to the end of August. The marina
season extends until December.
Each year the authority managing the
beach or marina applies for the Blue Flag
award, it is not automatically renewed every
year. An International Jury then decides
whether the beach is eligible for the award.
During the season inspectors assess every Blue
Flag beach and marina to ensure compliance with
criteria. If there are problems they are reported to
the authorities and either the problems are rectified
or the Blue Flag is removed. The public also has an
important part to play in seeing that a beach keeps
its Blue Flag. Litter, uncontrolled dogs, dog fouling,
trampling on dunes, vandalism to facilities are all things
that can cost a beach its flag. If you would like more
information on a Blue Flag beach or marina, or would like
further information please contact An Taisce’s Blue Flag
Manager.
Jimmy McVeigh, Blue Flag Manager, Environmental
Education Unit, An Taisce, 5A Swifts Alley, Francis Street,
Dublin 8. Telephone +353 1 4002210, Fax +353 1 4002285
Website: www.blueflagireland.org.
CLEAN COAST
CAMPAIGN
The Clean Coast project has been established
to improve the environment of the Welsh and
Irish coasts, and to restore the aesthetic appeal
and increase the amenity and economic value
to the community and visitors. The award that a
beach can receive within the project is called the Green Coast
Award. The Green Coast Award is a symbol of excellence. It
acknowledges beaches which meet EU Guideline bathing water
quality standards, but which are also prized for their natural,
unspoiled environment.
Following a pilot scheme between Keep Wales Tidy and Wexford
County Council, the Clean Coast Project has been extended and a
partnership established between An Taisce - The National Trust for
Ireland and Keep Wales Tidy, under the Maritime INTERREG IIIA
Programme, to expand the project in both countries. This project is partfinanced by the European Union and supported in Ireland by the
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as well
as five Local Authorities on the east coast.
In Ireland, the Clean Coast Project is currently being run in counties Meath,
Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford. The project is largely focused on
the establishment of local, community, voluntary Coastcare groups who
‘adopt’ and manage stretches of coastline. The project is open to all and
anyone wishing to get involved will be welcome. The Clean Coast Project
aims to establish, support and promote community group action, with a
focus on the protection of the environment of rural beaches. The project
aims to establish and support community groups called ‘Coastcare’ groups.
These groups act as voluntary wardens and constantly ‘monitor’ their
adopted stretch of coastline.
The groups come up with all the ideas, write the management plans and
undertake projects when and where they want to. To encourage sustainability
of coastcare groups, financial support may be available through limited grants
to groups. This will assist groups to purchase their own equipment, e.g.
gloves, tools, skip hire, etc. The main aim of Coastcare is to establish a sense
of ownership within the local community, where each group will become selfsupporting. Possible projects on adopted beaches could include litter-picks,
habitat improvements, awareness raising, litter surveys, path drainage, access
work, etc. The project is open to everyone. Anybody who wants to get
involved can in some way or another.
For more information contact the project officer: Aidan Gray, Clean Coast
Campaign Officers, Environmental Education Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5A Swift’s
Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 046/9481710/01-4002221 Fax: 014002285. E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
Website: www.cleancoastireland.org.
AN TAISCE –
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR IRELAND
SOME OF OUR
ACHIEVEMENTS
WORKING FOR IRELAND’S FUTURE
• Nearly 2,200 schools take part in our
We are Ireland’s oldest and largest independent, wide-ranging
environmental organisation with 27 voluntary associations throughout
Ireland. Ireland’s environment is under serious threat from the lethal
mixture of unprecedented economic growth, inadequate protection, and a
lack of planning vision. The stakes are high. For generations to come we
will be living with the legacy of the National Development Plan which
between now and 2013, will change the face of Ireland. Without active
intervention now, this legacy will be one of shoddiness – of sprawling
housing estates, overdeveloped coastlines, inadequate public
transportation, squalid town and city centres, and lost natural habitats.
QUALITY OF LIFE
Green Schools project.
• 300,000 people participate in our Annual
National Spring Clean.
• An Taisce was central in saving Temple Bar
and much of Georgian Dublin from demolition.
• We advocated LUAS before it was fashionable.
• We initiated opposition to the burning of
bituminous coal in our cities.
• An Taisce was central to opposition to nuclear
An Taisce is working for a better quality of life for everyone in Ireland,
power at Carnsore Point and to the coal-burning
now and for the future. Our interest is the public interest. Join us in
power station at Moneypoint – which now has to be
getting better planning for the places where we work, rest and play –
closed down to meet Ireland’s CO2 emissions targets
and for proper transport.
as defined by the Kyoto agreement.
A FUTURE FOR OUR HISTORY
An Taisce makes over 2000 submissions a year on planning
matters. Much of this work is hard and unfashionable, but of vital
importance. History is vindicating our independent and long-term stance
on planning issues – just take for example Dublin’s Temple Bar, whose
rejuvenation was first promoted by us.
We hold, in trust for the people of Ireland, 13 of the most important
properties in the country including Mongan Bog, County Offaly;
Kanturk Castle, County Cork; and 6,500 acres of mountainous terrain
at Crocnafarragh, County Donegal.
Through programmes such as Green-Schools, Young Reporters for the
Environment, LEAF (Learning about Forests), Blue Flag for Beaches and
Marinas and the Clean Coast initiative we, in partnership with government
and business, are building the foundations of an environmentally aware
and sensitive nation.
• We consistently opposed the interpretative centres
at Luggala and the Burren.
An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland
Green-Schools is an International environmental
education programme that aims to acknowledge and
encourage whole school action for the environment.
Green-Schools offers a well-defined, controllable way to take
environmental issues from the curriculum and apply them to the dayto-day running of a school. Pupils identify environmental problems
they are responsible for and try to find ways to solve them. GreenSchools is both a programme and an award scheme. The programme
can be adopted by any school using the guidelines given in the
handbook. The award will be given to schools that complete the seven
steps of the programme:
1.
Green-Schools Committee.
2.
Environmental Review.
3.
Action Plan.
4.
Monitoring and Evaluation.
5.
Curriculum Work.
6.
Informing and involving the Wider Community.
7.
Green-Code.
There are currently 42 countries globally operating the programme,
with approximately 20,000 schools registered and working towards
achieving the prestigious Green Flag. In Ireland nearly 2,850 schools,
65% of schools, are registered as green schools. Of these, 1,119
schools have been awarded the coveted green flag. Initially schools
concentrate on the themes of Litter and Waste. Many Green Flag
schools have reached an advanced stage in addressing these problems
and have now moved on to the theme of energy and water. The
Green-Schools campaign is now in its eleventh year in Ireland. The
new theme of Travel is currently being run in 51 schools in the country
and is funded by the DTO. The topics of Energy and Water will only be
addressed following a successful Litter and Waste campaign. GreenSchools is operated in Ireland in partnership with local authorities. All
34 local authorities participate in the scheme. Green-Schools is kindly
sponsored by Greenstar, Coca-Cola Bottlers Ltd and The Wrigley Co. Ltd.
If you would like your school to get involved in Green-Schools, or if
you would like more information about the programme, please
contact:
Cathy Joyce, Greens Schools Manager, Environmental Education
Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5A Swift’s Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8. Tel:
01-4002216. Fax: 01-4002285. E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.greenschoolsireland.com.
An Taisce environmental awareness initiatives
GREEN-SCHOOLS