Clothes and bottle recycling banks in Ballymun are being blatantly abused and Dublin City Council needs to keep its commitment to remove them as a matter of urgency.
That is according to local Aontú rep, Edward MacManus, who says that despite firm commitments by DCC to him at a public Safer Ballymun meeting in October 2024 that it would remove the receptacles on the Shangan Road and place them in the DCC Recycling facilities in Carton Way this has not happened.
At the October meeting the local authority pledged to remove the bins by the end of the first week of November last.
“I have been in regular contact with DCC on this ongoing issue which is causing lots of frustration and annoyance in the area. Local community groups and individuals do amazing work to try and keep the area neat, clean and tidy and their efforts are being completely thwarted. The clothes recycling bins in particular are being badly abused with people climbing into them, rifling through the items and then discarding the clothes they do not want while taking the ones they do.”
“They are leaving trails of clothes in their wake, scattered all over the area. This then has the knock-on effect of attracting more people who are dumping household waste by the recycling bins. This is creating a complete mess and worryingly could attract vermin.” While DCC do clean the area on a regular basis, it is an exercise in futility as the clothes bins quickly become a source of new dumping and disorder.
“Locals are rightly very exercised and worried about this as it is a health hazard and grossly unfair on them.”
“Also, I have been told that broken glass is strewn around the place, and this is dangerous for all people as well as their household pets.”
“In its latest correspondence to me on this issue Dublin City Council has said that they are in communication with relevant bodies and persons about the problem.”
“This is very frustrating and given that the land on which the bins are presently located is earmarked for development, they will have to be removed down the line anyway so why the wait?”
“This is an issue that is happening all over Dublin North West and the Council is not serving the public as it is not prosecuting people who engage in this littering and anti-social behaviour. Illegal dumping needs to be addressed properly with appropriate penalties.”
“There is also the issue of accountability as frankly the council cannot be giving pledges to local reps and community groups and then peddling back on them. This is not good practise, and it must take cognisance of its duties as a public body.”
“I am taking up this issue with my party leader, Deputy Peadar Tóibín and we will continue to pursue the matter of illegal dumping and the council’s response , or lack of it “.
