Policing bin sheds

bernyh

Just out of interest I wonder can anyone come up with an affordable and reasonable way of ensuring that an apartment blocks bin sheds are not used as a free for all?

My friends live opposite the bin shed for our group of apartments they tell me that there is a constant stream througout the night dumping at the bin sheds. (I think there are 3 bin sheds behind the complex at seperate areas)

Over the years I have witnessed people driving up in cars or vans (on occassion sign written vans with company names on... which I have reported)

It seems to be getting worse recently, every night I have chased at least 4 people from the area who are driving up in cars and dumping their rubbish.... I always challenge them if I see them (because they are essentially stealing from me as I'm paying their bin fees through my escalating management fees) the most common excuse seems to be "we are moving into the apartment number......." and laughably I have 3 times heard them quoting my own number of apartment......

We have tried a key opening on the door of the bins, but that only makes them dump them outside which the binmen won't lift.... we have tried installing cameras etc but having them manned is too expensive.


I would love to know if anyone has any ideas to combat this situation as our bin charges are astronomical (people are dumping beds furniture anything they can in the shed which is costing us loads)

Victor

You might involve the local litter warden - contact the council.

STANDCLEAR!!!

Put combination combination lock on main gate of shed, any dumping outside its the litter wardens problem

Davexirl

Where my friend lives to get into the bin area they have to ring a number and the lock on the door automatically opens.

Victor

STANDCLEAR!!! wrote: »

Put combination combination lock on main gate of shed, any dumping outside its the litter wardens problem

No enough. Allowing dumping to continue outside hte shed would be an offence by the apartment block management company.

STANDCLEAR!!!

That's the way it worked at the apartment blocks beside my house and the problem is now solved. The litter warden does regular patrols of the area now also

robertpatterson

Victor wrote: »

No enough. Allowing dumping to continue outside hte shed would be an offence by the apartment block management company.

Are yo sure?
If thats the case then every time rubbish is left outside a recycling centre its an offence by the council but i dont think they get fined its the litterer who does

Ste.phen

robertpatterson wrote: »

Are yo sure?
If thats the case then every time rubbish is left outside a recycling centre its an offence by the council but i dont think they get fined its the litterer who does

The bins are likely on private property and it's up to the property owner (the management company) to ensure nothing is dumped there

the_syco

bernyh wrote: »

we have tried installing cameras etc but having them manned is too expensive.

Camera linked to a sensor switch so that it only comes on when the sensor activates it?

All you need to do is catch a few of them, get them prosecuted, and publicly let the local rag know so that they have a small story about it, and people will shortly cop on that dumping at your place equals big fine.

markpb

Ste.phen wrote: »

The bins are likely on private property and it's up to the property owner (the management company) to ensure nothing is dumped there

the_syco wrote: »

All you need to do is catch a few of them, get them prosecuted

Ste.phen and Victor are dead right - most dumping in apartment complexes isn't covered by the litter acts so the local authority litter wardens have no authority to act and - because property owners have a responsibility to keep their land free from litter - they become responsible for litter dumped on their land. It's a crazy situation.

Similarly, I don't think acts give property owners the right to prosecute for dumping on their land (but I'm not sure about this).

Slydice

markpb wrote: »

most dumping in apartment complexes isn't covered by the litter acts so the local authority litter wardens have no authority to act and - because property owners have a responsibility to keep their land free from litter - they become responsible for litter dumped on their land. It's a crazy situation.

wow, that's mad

I did a bit of googling and found the citizens info page on litter law:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/environmental_protection/litter_law.html

Litter and private property
The owner or occupier of property that can be seen from a public place, is also obliged to keep the property free of litter. This means that any outdoor area on your property visible from a public place must be kept free of litter. Failure to keep your property free of litter can result in a fine or prosecution by your local authority.

and

Illegal dumping
The litter laws have increased the powers of your local authority to combat the problem of illegal dumping of refuse and rubbish. If you see someone dumping illegally, you should report the matter to your local authority who will investigate and take any necessary enforcement action.

Alternatively you can report illegal dumping to a 24 hour lo-call telephone number 1850 365 121. Local authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency and an Garda Síochána will follow up on the information given as appropriate. Information that you give can be treated confidentially although you are encouraged to give your contact details as authorities may wish to follow-up with you in relation to the investigation of illegal dumping.

If your local authority finds material that is illegally dumped and establishes the identity of the owner of the material, that person will have a case to answer without necessarily having to be caught in the act. In addition, extra powers are also available to your local authority to require a householder or business operator to indicate how and where they are disposing of their waste. This is particularly relevant if the householder or business owner is not availing of a refuse collection service or is not bringing their waste to an authorised disposal facility.

It doesn't specify whether there are enforcable penalties for dumping on private property. I presume a civil case can be taken to (the small claims?) court to recoup the cost of disposal if it can be proven.

This news article seems relevant:
http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6354:absurd-dumping-fines-for-landowners&catid=74:general&Itemid=60

'Absurd' dumping fines for landowners
Written by Owen Ryan
Thursday, 26 May 2011 09:41

A LANDOWNER, who has no young children, could face prosecution where nappies had been dumped on his property. That’s just one of the “absurd” situations that has emerged as efforts are made to clamp down on illegal dumping in the countryside.

and

Councillor Joe Arkins said he recently had to take two manure bags full of beer cans from his own property. He gave examples of a landowner finding large numbers of tyres on his property and of a man without small children finding quantities of nappies dumped.
He said the example of a landowner without children being punished for having nappies strewn on their land showed the absurdity of the situation. “At some stage a person will take a test case and if it’s a man with 40 bags of nappies, it will be very hard to convict them,” he commented.

So, unless someone knows otherwise, I think looks like it hasn't been tested in court.

djimi

STANDCLEAR!!! wrote: »

Put combination combination lock on main gate of shed, any dumping outside its the litter wardens problem

Thats how they dealt with the problem in my old place. Anyone leaving rubbish outside the bins is a seperate issue of trespassing and needs to be addressed by the management company (assuming the bins are on private land).

markpb

Slydice wrote: »

It doesn't specify whether there are enforcable penalties for dumping on private property. I presume a civil case can be taken to (the small claims?) court to recoup the cost of disposal if it can be proven.

Unless I'm wrong, the law only applies to public property or private property visible from public property. I can't find any way in law for private property owners to do anything about it (apart from trespass as djimi said).

Victor

The litter warden will deal with people dumping on private lands, but the land owner / occupier still needs to deal with the matter.