[Article] Tough new laws latest push in anti-litter drive

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/1498177?view=Eircomnet

Tough new laws latest push in anti-litter drive
From:The Irish Independent
Tuesday, 16th September, 2003
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent

PUTTING advertising flyers on cars is being made illegal next month under tough new Government anti-litter laws.

And promoters and large music and sports events will have to limit the amount of rubbish being created - and get rid of the litter at their own cost.

The days of the "runaway" supermarket trolley are also numbered as local authorities will be able to bring in local laws making stores responsible if they are abandoned.

Fines are also being massively increased as part of the offensive which comes into effect on October 1 next.

These include:

* Increasing the fine for summary conviction in the district courts for litter offences from €1,904 to €3,000.

* The maximum daily fine for continuing offences also increases to €600.

* A maximum fine of €130,000 for convictions in higher courts and €10,000 per day for continuing offences.

* Wider local authority powers to make byelaws.

* Greater restrictions on advertising materials in public places, including a ban on placement of advertising flyers on vehicles.

Councils will also have powers to regulate the movement, location and operation of mobile retail outlets.

bonkey

Nice one...if they see it through.

Reminds me of something I meant to post here a while ago...remember this new thing about tax on the polysterene wrappers etc being used in burger joints?

Apparently, over here, if McDonalds want to open a store, they are charged for the full refuse-collection cost for the street they are based on .

OK - McDs are the *only* major fast-food chain in Switzerland, and even with that they're relatively few and far between (Bern, the capital, has 125,000 inhabitants, and 3 McDs AFAIK), which makes it somewhat practical.

Basically the authorities looked at it and decided that they would be a major congregation point of youth, and given the proclivity to eat outdoors when the weather permits, they just decided to take a no-nonsense approach.

Glad to see the irish are beginning to do something similar. Enough action like this, and Ireland could become a clean country once again (perish the thought!).

I'm delighted to see that Supermarkets will be held responsible for what happens to their trollies as part of this. About time.

jc

colinsky

I don't have high hopes for new anti-litter laws, when people here even don't consider litter colllection something worth paying for.

People who don't care about the environment won't make any effort to take how to properly discard trash.

Victor

And traffic cones and crowd barriers!

The Saint

I think the only way for the public to stop littering is to put a large amount of litter wardens on the streets and fine people littering heavily. If people do not pay the fine then it should increse every week until after a month these people are either taken to court or forced to do some kind of community service. The only way to stop people littering is to hurt them where it hurts, their wallets. The same should be done with businesses. In the UK the worst polluters are named and shamed and have to pay hefty fines. Recycling should be made compulsory for business as most packaging waste comes from businesses, and with the money the government makes from litter fines of both companies and the public, recycling facilities and collections could be implemented as well as more rubbish bins. Theres no point in having litter fines when there is no one on the street to give them. These litter wardens could also be payed by the fines and the rest of the money could go to other aspects of waste management. By doing this the government would be dealing with the litter problem without having to spend extra money and could in fact gain revenue.

rubadub

more rehashing of laws which are supposed to be in place already but not enforced. i have heard people saying "its going to be illegal to throw smoke butts on the ground when the smoking ban comes in", it always has been illegal to do that...

tbh

I agree totally with the saint. you can make up all the laws you want, but people are not going to respect them out of sheer decency - if you want them enforced, you have to do it with numbers. Look at the amount of people who smoke in Dublin Airport. Have you ever been queueing to collect your luggage? Its worse than the smoking room in Heathrow. Tourists who see these arseholes smoking in front of the non-smoking signs must think we are a joke.

C

Billy Turdhed

Goldarn rooight Caimin.... The punters who litter are the same crowd who support Daly and Higgins..they couldnt give Jack S**t about littering ..just a chance to peddle their anti establishment propaganda ..pay for nothing ... look for everything from the state ,while the real "working class" bankroll them to spend the full wad in the pub..suckin the smokes and cloggin up the casualty wards on weekends.

They don't fool old Sammy Turdheds son...Nooooo siree!

. WOT