Litter - Lack of bins?

Smithwicks Man

Litter is a ridiculous issue to be discussing in 2013 but it's still a huge problem, especially in urban areas.

Now anybody who blatantly litters when it'd nearly be easier to throw the rubbish in the bin up the street is quite simply an idiot, but I can't help but feel that a lack of bins is also an issue.

Countless times I've drank a bottle of water or had some form of rubbish with me that I'd like to throw in a bin only there is none anywhere nearby. This happens regularly out the country which is understandable but when I find it happening me in Dublin City I think it's just ridiculous.

Why is it that there are sections of pavement with a bin every 5 feet yet there's other areas with no bins for exceptionally long stretches? It's ridiculous.

I see so many people litter out of laziness, but then you see others who litter because, as they say, "sure there's no bin anywhere near here".

Would more bins solve this?

The Backwards Man

If you had a thousand bins every km people would still litter. Make every citizen do three weeks compulsory service of cleaning up their local area. If they don't pull their weight, make them do three months.

Smithwicks Man

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If you had a thousand bins every km people would still litter. Make every citizen do three weeks compulsory service of cleaning up their local area. If they don't pull their weight, make them do three months.

I strongly believe there'd be a sharp decrease in litter if there was a big increase in bins. Some people litter just to be bad but the majority do it out of laziness

MadsL

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

I strongly believe there'd be a sharp decrease in litter if there was a big increase in bins. Some people litter just to be bad but the majority do it out of laziness

And a big increase in people filling them rather than pay bin charges.

Would it kill anyone to take their litter home with them or carry until they see a bin.

Smithwicks Man

MadsL wrote: »

And a big increase in people filling them rather than pay bin charges.

Would it kill anyone to take their litter home with them or carry until they see a bin.

True enough.

danniemcq

IIRC it costs over €1000 a year to maintain a single bin on the street , so adding a modest 10 bins to a town will set you back upwards of 10 grand a year. Its just not affordable.

I tried looking for the source of that amount but I can't find it but a quick math thing would be 1 bin, emptied 3 times a week would probably end up with around 2 wheelie bins full. That at Donegal rates would be just under 30 quid a week per bin in landfill charges or whatever. So i'm sure there is some deal for lower costs but even at that you could have 52weeks*€20 fees and thats €1040 a year. If anyone has better sources on costs or better knowledge let me know and i'll adjust

preston johnny

Giving blind people pointed sticks would go a long way to solving the litter problem in Ireland.

Rubberchikken

When you have an adult tell a child to throw the crisp bag on the ground, approx 5 feet from a bin, because said adult was too lazy to tell kid to put it in the bin.
This was after the kid had asked the mother to put the bag into the bin as it was on the mother's side.
To say I was speechless is an understatement. No wonder people litter when that's what they're taught.

Always told mine to put their rubbish in coat/pants pocket or in school bag and bring it home.
Often washed school pants with pockets full of bits of paper - yuck.

Smithwicks Man

danniemcq wrote: »

IIRC it costs over €1000 a year to maintain a single bin on the street , so adding a modest 10 bins to a town will set you back upwards of 10 grand a year. Its just not affordable.

I tried looking for the source of that amount but I can't find it but a quick math thing would be 1 bin, emptied 3 times a week would probably end up with around 2 wheelie bins full. That at Donegal rates would be just under 30 quid a week per bin in landfill charges or whatever. So i'm sure there is some deal for lower costs but even at that you could have 52weeks*€20 fees and thats €1040 a year. If anyone has better sources on costs or better knowledge let me know and i'll adjust

Yeah but then you have to consider the thousands saved in cleaning up litter on the streets as well

Muise...

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Countless times I've drank a bottle of water or had some form of rubbish with me that I'd like to throw in a bin only there is none anywhere nearby. This happens regularly out the country which is understandable but when I find it happening me in Dublin City I think it's just ridiculous.

If you managed to carry that bottle of water in your hand or pocket or bag before you drank it, why can't you carry it any further till you reach a bin? Tip: it's even lighter when it's empty.

moxin

The authorities should make up a Daily Mail type scare story that littering is spreading a toxic disease amongst kids. You can bet your life savings that the parents of said kids would hammer the message about bad littering into their kids then.

Smithwicks Man

Muise... wrote: »

If you managed to carry that bottle of water in your hand or pocket or bag before you drank it, why can't you carry it any further till you reach a bin? Tip: it's even lighter when it's empty.

I do carry it further until I find a bin...

I'm saying that I can understand why others dump litter on the ground as often there is no bin anywhere nearby and they just couldn't be bothered carrying it. People that litter when there is a bin nearby, well there's just no logic to that but usually it's just laziness and a lack of bins.

Temptamperu

Just hold on to it till you get where you're going its what i do.

MadsL

One of the greatest principles that Scouting taught me was "Leave No Trace"...I often wonder if schools no longer instill this value now Scouting has declined in popularity.

I'm more than shocked by what is left behind at most music festivals, and more than impressed by Leave No Trace events like Burning Man.

How hard is it not take litter home with you, and even pick it up and put it in a bin if you see stuff blowing around.

Tails142

Bins in town are emptied/checked at least times a day, more in busier places. You wouldn't think it but it is a massive operation to keep litter bins going in the city centre.

SEPT 23 1989

I find beaches in the summer months the worst,would it kill the councils to have skips where people who are pumping thousands of euro into the local economy every summer to have somewhere to put their rubbish?

MadsL

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

I find beaches in the summer months the worst,would it kill the councils to have skips where people who are pumping thousands of euro into the local economy every summer to have somewhere to put their rubbish?

Would it kill them to pack their rubbish out with them?

Pack it in, pack it out.

Y'know, in the bag you brought it to the beach with.

Stojkovic

Scrotes set fire to bins, hence why councils removed them from parks, beaches etc.

I am pie

Aye, it's the councils fault. Spend more money on a solution which we all know will be vandalised. How about the feckless morons bring their beer bottles, cans, crisp bags and whatever else back with them in the same plastic bag they brought them in.

The Glass Key

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

I find beaches in the summer months the worst,would it kill the councils to have skips where people who are pumping thousands of euro into the local economy every summer to have somewhere to put their rubbish?

Have you any idea how much rubbish a skip in a car park near a beach would attract?

Near a beach near us someones bin blew away and ended up in the beach car park by the end of the week rubbish was piled up all around it.

Less bins no skips and make everyone take their litter home with them is the only way.

coolbeans

If there's no bin the right thing to do is to put the litter into your pocket until you you come across one. Only scumbags litter including those who throw fag butts.

feargale

Q. Where's you bin?
A. I bin in Hong Kong.
Q. No, where's your wheelie bin?
A. Yes, I wheelie bin in Hong Kong.

Smithwicks Man

The Glass Key wrote: »

Less bins no skips and make everyone take their litter home with them is the only way.

This would never work. Is there any solution?

coolbeans wrote: »

Only scumbags litter including those who throw fag butts.

Scumbags must nearly be the majority then so. The amount of people who litter is a disgrace

MadsL

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

This would never work. Is there any solution?

Why, it works pretty well in massive National Parks in the US over thousands and thousands of acres where there is perhaps only one or two ranger stations for the entire park.

Pack it in, pack it out and Leave No Trace is drilled into people.

Scumbags must nearly be the majority then so. The amount of people who litter is a disgrace

If you see it say something needs to be the mantra. If people get an earful when people see them drop litter, they'll stop doing it. Show very distressing pictures of the impact on wildlife on TV too.

Smithwicks Man

MadsL wrote: »

Why, it works pretty well in massive National Parks in the US over thousands and thousands of acres where there is perhaps only one or two ranger stations for the entire park.

Pack it in, pack it out and Leave No Trace is drilled into people.

If you see it say something needs to be the mantra. If people get an earful when people see them drop litter, they'll stop doing it. Show very distressing pictures of the impact on wildlife on TV too.

I agree with everything you're saying, I just can't see people sticking to it.

What is the point in having ridiculous €3000 fines for littering that are never enforced. There should be a standard €100-€250 fine for littering and it should be enforced

chopper6

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

I find beaches in the summer months the worst,would it kill the councils to have skips where people who are pumping thousands of euro into the local economy every summer to have somewhere to put their rubbish?

Ah ffs...why should councils have to pay for ignorant people to dump thier crap somewhere?

You bring a bag of cans *to* the beach...bring the bag of empty cans *from* the beach...and as for pumping thousands into the economy...the sorts of people who litter beaches are very far from the sorts of people who are benefiting the economy,unless you count local off licences.

dreamers75

Stojkovic wrote: »

Scrotes set fire to bins, hence why councils removed them from parks, beaches etc.

Not true, they removed them because they wouldnt pay people to empty them.

Teyla Emmagan

The problem is people, not a lack of bins. Even now too many people bring up their kids with no respect for their environment or their fellow citizens. Littering is a revolting reflection on any human being. It's absolute scumbaggery.

Leave no trace. Just bring your crap back home or carry it until you find a bin in which to dispose of it properly.

MadsL

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

I agree with everything you're saying, I just can't see people sticking to it.

What is the point in having ridiculous €3000 fines for littering that are never enforced. There should be a standard €100-€250 fine for littering and it should be enforced

Personally I think councils should have volunteer wardens with the power to issue fines. They could be paid a stipend from the fines they issue. Say 20% of the fine.

On the dole - go volunteer and earn a bit on top of the dole. Make it exempt.
Pair them up with a random volunteer for each shift to prevent abuse.

Sh1tbag OToole

danniemcq wrote: »

IIRC it costs over €1000 a year to maintain a single bin on the street , so adding a modest 10 bins to a town will set you back upwards of 10 grand a year. Its just not affordable.

I tried looking for the source of that amount but I can't find it but a quick math thing would be 1 bin, emptied 3 times a week would probably end up with around 2 wheelie bins full. That at Donegal rates would be just under 30 quid a week per bin in landfill charges or whatever. So i'm sure there is some deal for lower costs but even at that you could have 52weeks*€20 fees and thats €1040 a year. If anyone has better sources on costs or better knowledge let me know and i'll adjust

These days the councils make money from recycling rubbish. Its mostly paper and plastic wrappers and bottles that go into these bins and there is money to be made from recycling.

Maybe they'll invent a paid bin that you have to touch in on with a leap card so it docks 20 cent off your account before it opens and lets you throw rubbish in.

SHOVELLER

In certain parts of the Liberties it looks like a litter bomb has gone off. With the council probably off for Christmas the place is an utter mess. Add in the wind and its a perfect storm of filth.

Where once there would be a few black bin liners left on the road when these are not collected inevitably more are added.

What is astonishing is when you see the bags split open and bottles and clothes spill out.

How does anybody not know about bring banks? Who are these people?

Hootanany

DannieHasAFanny wrote: »

IIRC it costs over €1000 a year to maintain a single bin on the street , so adding a modest 10 bins to a town will set you back upwards of 10 grand a year. Its just not affordable.

I tried looking for the source of that amount but I can't find it but a quick math thing would be 1 bin, emptied 3 times a week would probably end up with around 2 wheelie bins full. That at Donegal rates would be just under 30 quid a week per bin in landfill charges or whatever. So i'm sure there is some deal for lower costs but even at that you could have 52weeks*€20 fees and thats €1040 a year. If anyone has better sources on costs or better knowledge let me know and i'll adjust

So how much does it cost per ton to clear up the litter?

UCDVet

The problem isn't about trash or a lack of bins. It's about an abundance of *trashy people*. We can sugarcoat it all we want, but unlike so many other social problems....there isn't any justification.

average hero

It is ignorance mixed with complacency.

I regularly see people littering when there is a bin literally metres away.

Why do they litter? It's the complacency of 'well, sure there is someone paid to clean it up' combined with a 'I don't give a damn attitude'.

Horrible attitude really.

Gertrude2

SHOVELLER wrote: »

In certain parts of the Liberties it looks like a litter bomb has gone off. With the council probably off for Christmas the place is an utter mess. Add in the wind and its a perfect storm of filth.

Where once there would be a few black bin liners left on the road when these are not collected inevitably more are added.

What is astonishing is when you see the bags split open and bottles and clothes spill out.

How does anybody not know about bring banks? Who are these people?

We had bins in the Liberties in the past and the Corpo removed them because of the amount of domestic rubbish being dumped in and around them. Council put one on a corner near me in the last couple of years and had to remove it again for the same reason.

Chinasea

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Litter is a ridiculous issue to be discussing in 2013 but it's still a huge problem, especially in urban areas.

Countless times I've drank a bottle of water or had some form of rubbish with me that I'd like to throw in a bin only there is none anywhere nearby.

http://voiceireland.org/waste/urge-minister-hogan-to-adopt-a-depositrefund-system-for-bottles-and-cans/

Would more bins solve this?

Having rang, written, campaigned, ranted for years to the local CoCo in Dun Laoghaire about this very problem, I have just come to accept that our citizens are apathetic international dirt bags, coupled with the laissez faire attitude of the CoCo’s certainly does not help.

Of course you realise that many of our CoCo’s are stifled by their total and utter mismanagement and their lazy heavily unionised front-line workers who have a total stranglehold of what they will and moreso won’t do.

Add to this the fact that as a nation unless we are made or forced to try and act in a civilised sustainable manor, many of our citizens simply just trash the place.

Your local CoCo are now hiding behind the age old resourcing issue excuse claiming that that is why there is a distinct lack of public bins. This problem for those of you that were awake was exactly the same in the boom times.
Take a trip around many of the not so well off European cities and you will find bins as expected on every street corner. Parts of Dublin as mentioned are DISGUSTING.

Now for possible solutions.

• Proaction.
• Keep on at your local CoCo. I have managed to get at least 2 bins in my local vicinity.
• Pick up the litter outside your front door.
• Ask your CoCo to investigate people who have no waste collection from their homes and insist they provide evidence as to how they are disposing of their litter.
• EVERYBODY should be responsible.
• No waivers. Again, this will encourage less waste and cultivate personal responsibility.
• Write to the sleeping Minister for the Environment to try and address this national scourge.

http://voiceireland.org/waste/urge-minister-hogan-to-adopt-a-depositrefund-system-for-bottles-and-cans/

SHOVELLER

Should have my post clearer. The rubbish is just left on the streets on a daily basis. Cant blame the council for removing the bins really.

Judging by the amount of rubbish it looks like some would drive around looking for somewhere to dump these bags. So they are wasting time and money dumping. The mind boggles.

If caught they should be made clean the streets for weeks on end.

PhlegmyMoses

It's improved massively since I was a kid. Bit more to go but it was awful when I was younger.

Conmaicne Mara

All litter bins were removed from our village. This situation came about through domestic tourists stuffing often multiple carrier bags of rubbish into them at a time during Summer. This would be done in full public view, without any shame at all. Well done the Irish tourist.

Teyla Emmagan

In good news, in Dublin at least - don't know about the rest of the country, each household will soon be required to show evidence of being signed up to a refuse provider. This is both to stop dumping, and stop lazy b&stards filling up public bins with their rubbish. You will also be required to prove you are actually using the service.

There's a new by-law about it somewhere, which I couldn't be arsed finding right now.

Hopefully this will mean we can actually have the odd public bin available on our streets, which isn't either set on fire for the laugh by knackers, or filled instantly by people too mean to dispose of their rubbish in any other way.

Archeron

Anybody remember Larry Litter from Butlins? He taught me a lesson I wont forget and that was about 30 years ago. An army of Larrys would sort it out, nobody wants a magnum wrapper stapled to their face.

thecatspjs

Make poor people pick it up for money.

Make rich people pick it up for ipods or handbags or whatever.