Mr. Liam Bergin gave an update on services in his Directorate:

Civic Amenity Sites:

Roscommon County Council has maintained the opening hours of Civic Amenity Sites which are a critical waste infrastructure in Roscommon, given the high number of households who do not have a waste collection service.

Volume of waste being generated.

We are monitoring all waste services in the county and there has been a significant increase in the waste being generated in the County. Bottle-banks are experiencing significant volume increases compared to the same period last year (17th March to 23rd April inclusive.) The comparison is as follows:

2019 – 146.4 tonnes

2020 – 214.1 tonnes = an increase of 68%.

In order to avoid littering at these bottle banks we are monitoring them closely and emptying them regularly, in the unlikely event that a bottlebank is full it is important that the public:

a.            Use the text number on the bottle bank to report that it is full

b.            If there is evidence of littering to report the littering to the litter Freephone number 1850548837  or ideally with a photograph to environment@roscommoncoco.ie

c.             Return at a later date with their recyclables.

Littering and Dumping

We continue to monitor illegal dumping and while there have been a number of high profile incidents the general trend is consistent with previous years 93 complaints in the period versus 96 in the same period last year, though we do have concerns that there may be underreporting as a result of quarantine measurers. Roscommon County Council waste enforcement, as a designated essential service, is ongoing and complaints lines remain open. The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment ion the 20th of April have increased the availability of funds for the installation of CCTV or other monitoring and surveillance equipment by €1 million euro.

While all Local Authority staff are constantly on the lookout for illegal dumping, we do need the help of the Public in identifying litter and dumping and the reports that we receive are critical to us identifying these illegal and antisocial activities. To remind the public of the need to report such instances the sector has produced a radio ad emphasising the continuity of waste services and enforcement arrangements to discourage illegal dumping and littering. The ad is running across national and local radio.

In relation to the blight of Roadside Littering, it is noticeable that discarded waste from commuter traffic has noticeably decreased, in line with the closure of hot food retail outlets and the decline in commuting.

Recycling and treatment of waste:

Recovery at composting and bio stabilisation plants is continuing uninterrupted. The plants report an approximate 25% increase in household biodegradable waste arising and an approximate 25% decrease in commercial biodegradable waste arising.

In relation to household waste collection services the reduction in the demand for cement from the construction industry has led to the decision by the The Irish Cement Plant (Platin) to suspend the production of cement this week until the end of May. The Platin plant accounts for 140 kt of SRF annually or over 16000 tonnes during the closure period. The RWMO's have liaised with the principal SRF producers and are satisfied that a combination of reduced production, baling, storage and export will be adequate for the period.

The interruption to cement production has also had an impact on recovery options for certain contaminated and blended fuels from the Biopharma and Chemical industries. A number of export options have been identified which should alleviate the problem in the short term.

There has been a reduction in international outlets for textile waste which impacts on the business model which underpins the provision of textile banks nationally. Local authorities are encouraged to maintain these services in cooperation with service providers. The RWMO's will consult with the textile sector to explore potential solutions.

The drop in oil prices has impacted on virgin polymer with a potential consequential impact on recyclable plastic while paper is moving well at the moment.

There remains a good demand for white paper at the moment

Waste collection from Householders and businesses:

Waste collectors have expressed concern about the potential for bad debts arising during this period. Exceedance of weight allowances may increase costs for a limited number of households. There is no evidence of an increase in the termination of accounts due to non payment during this period.

Waste collectors continue to service a range of nursing home / long stay facilities with handling of MDR a key component. Where facilities are managing the clinical waste stream in line with guidance it is considered that there is no elevated risk due to the handling of MDR however it is advised that appropriate PPE be used.

Summary:

The decision to keep our Civic Amenity Sites open, we feel has led to less dumping than we feared may be the case, however there is no room for complacency. We expect reporting of dumping and littering to increase with the gradual lifting of restrictions and remain committed to prosecuting, in full, those who commit this antisocial crime against our communities