Rubbish & Disgusting Levels of Litter Royal Canal

Praetorian22

Hello

Over the last twelve months I have noticed a monumental increase in the amount of litter, crap and trash being thrown all over the Royal Canal in Dublin 15.

Now off course this is the canal we are talking about so I would never expect it to be clean or perfect like a scene from a postcard.

However in recent times it seems that it really has become a dumping ground.

It seems to be the same story all throughout the Canal in Dublin 15. From Castleknock and work your way through Coolmine, Clonsilla, Hansfield etc....

The amount of crap being discarded and thrown everywhere is horrible.

Beside the new apartments under the railway bridge at Ongar/Hansfield it looks like a halting site. I am not talking about graffiti on walls but literally discarded rubbish.

Cardboard boxes full of s***, worn masks, food packets, cans etc.

Yesterday I am pretty sure I spotted naan bread in the canal itself, bloody naan bread! I am sure I've seen bottles full of pi** as well. Yellow liquid in bottles. I doubt people are tossing away Beroca.

This really is not confined to one area though, unfortunately it seems to go down as far as Leixlip and Maynooth.

There is just a blatant disregard for one of the last bit's of Greenery around the area.

As the months get warmer there is going to be an increase in activity down the canal. It's obviously a great place for a run, walk, to bring the kids, go fishing and take photos. I see plenty of people head down with the cameras to snap photos of birds (the flying kind) e.g. Buzzards on days like today.

Unfortunately it looks like camera roll's will be full of pictures of shi** unless something is done. Is there anything that can be done about this? Or is it just me, has anyone else in the area noticed this?



Perhaps a few bins would help? The anti-dumping warning signs are obviously not working.

A Knight of Ireland

I walked from Castleknock to the Coolmine stretch over the weekend. Passed a group of young fellas fishing on my way up to Coolmine and when I was coming back, they were gone and they had left behind them loads of rubbish. It was ridiculous. Even as you walk along there is nothing but rubbish thrown into the canal. Bottles/Cans/Milk cartons. Even if you go down to the 12th lock, there is a huge accumulation of rubbish there. It's disgusting. No sign of the canal cleaners driving that dredging boat up and down since this COVID ****e started.

blanch152

Pre-covid, there was a very active Royal canal clean-up group who did an awful lot of excellent work. They co-operated well with Blanchardstown Tidy Towns and Castleknock Tidy Towns. Here is their website:

http://www.royalcanalcleanup.com/

They probably haven't been out much because of Level 5. It would be a great idea if people helped these organisations out once the restrictions lift as I am sure there will be greater burden on limited volunteers. I don't think the Tidy Towns groups have websites but they do have Facebook pages.

raheny red

I'm almost certain there's not one single bin between the 12th Lock and Cross Guns Bridge at Phisboro.....

ongarite

Not a single bin either from Castleknock to Leixlip.

The broken nature of the path from Castleknock to Leixlip means I can't see Fingal installing bins as they would say they would say it's too dangerous to get vehicles down there to empty the bins.

Dr_Colossus

Bins are not the answer, there are some bins in the Phoenix park and they're usually overflowing with rubbish scattered everywhere around.

If people can bring produce to the canal they can bring back empty packing occupying and weighing a fraction of the amount but the mindset isn't there. To help create that mindset there needs to be strict enforcement as people are otherwise too lazy and selfish to clean up after themselves. Signs mean nothing when there's no repercussions to ignoring them. It would certainly help to know litter wardens actually exist, in over 20 years of living in various parts of Dublin I've never seen one or know of anyone that has been issued a fine.

Maybe the new law of actually being able to use CCTV to prosecute fly tippers will help cleaning up some of the countryside.

To add, it's not just the nature ways such as along the Royal Canal that are littered with rubbish, the new Lidl in Clonsilla is another example, the underground car park and ground floor around the trollies have been scattered with rubbish since the place opened. Everything from cigarette butts, bottles/cans/coffee cups, sweet and crisp packets and shop receipts randomly strewn all over the place. It and the people leaving everything off the hand are disgusting and that's a brand new facility only open a few months which has a company in charge of it's upkeep.

ongarboy

Sad to see. Unfortunately, I think it's a side effect of the lockdown too with much increased footfall. I've probably walked the canal more in the last year than in the previous 15 and is much busier, particularly at weekends. What amazes me is that someone visits an amenity to enjoy its visual attractiveness but then would dump their rubbish there. Surely that is contradictory?

StoptheClocks

This baffles me. I was running in Tolka valley park the other day and witnessed a 30ish old women dump her coffee cup into the river. I felt like throwing her in after it.
Surely we're not far off being able to link rubbish to the person that bought it. In a cashless society, you'd be able to track purchases to products.

miamee

It's an awful shame alright. We took a walk down the canal from the bridge at the end of Westmanstown Road a few months ago and there was a whole heap of tyres fecked in the ditch alongside the canal We were back 2 or 3 weeks ago and they are still there along with a huge amount of other loose rubbish like drinks bottles. It's desperate.

DvB

To be fair, its not just the canal walk. IMO litter is becoming an increasing problem in D15 in general. We've noted on our walks within the 5km of our house how much the levels have increased, and not just by a little, its incredibly visible & prominent in many public spaces.

KGLady

Its disgusting that at a time when our local amenities are most important to our well-being, some horrible people behave so badly.

If its fly-tipping it can be reported to the Co Co. by calling them 01 8906799 or email environment@fingal.ie

Might be worth saving these details (and those for dog fouling) as phone contacts and get the litter wardens in the loop of where we need them most.

raheny red

This crap was taken from one haul on a tiny stretch of the Tolka during the week.... trolleys, prams, chest freezer, tyres....

rockatansky

People are just scum.

miamee

raheny red wrote: »

This crap was taken from one haul on a tiny stretch of the Tolka during the week.... trolleys, prams, chest freezer, tyres....

Is this on the stretch between Corduff and Waterville? I've noticed some stuff appearing outside the gates along there that someone has obviously fished out of the water - trolley, oil canister, buggy :rolleyes: Hopefully to be collected by Fingal.

IngazZagni

In my estate we had a privately operated bin accessible to the public. In covid times at weekends it became full and yet people just continued to dump their coffee cups in a pile next to it. The wind would then scatter the rubbish into the estate and surrounding areas. We have since removed the bin and the rubbish problem has reduced considerably although no doubt only moved further up the road.

People just don't think sometimes. At least I hope it's that and it's not that people just don't care about our environment.

briangu73

I am not living in Dublin 15 but i think this problem persists right across the country. In my area of Dublin we see the same issues - more so now during the lockdown as more people are about. It absolutely staggers me sometimes trying to understand the mentality of some people.

We have an active tidy towns association and i clean along particular route most weeks and time and time again the rubbish just piles up - cans and plastic bottles are the main culprits. It hasn't helped since the local LIDL opened selling thousands of cans of cheap energy drinks (discussion for another day) . I really don't know the answer apart from strict implementation of existing litter laws but that just does not look likely ever.

As an aside i was in Croke Park last year pre pandemic and i walked along the Canal into the stadium. I just could not believe the amount of rubbish in the canal right underneath the stadium. It was appalling - I would have thought the GAA would have done some cleaning around here at least.

Anyway rant over - casual littering is a major bugbear if mine and a horrible eyesore. I have travelled to most countries in Europe and you just don't see this disregard for the surrounding environments. A lot of it has to do with our mentality around civil society - some of use just don't notice or care.

raheny red

miamee wrote: »

Is this on the stretch between Corduff and Waterville? I've noticed some stuff appearing outside the gates along there that someone has obviously fished out of the water - trolley, oil canister, buggy :rolleyes: Hopefully to be collected by Fingal.

That's the one. I just presumed that was someone pulling up and dumping it. Nearly a different pile once a week in the same spot. It's collected pretty sharpish too.

StoptheClocks

IngazZagni wrote: »

In my estate we had a privately operated bin accessible to the public. In covid times at weekends it became full and yet people just continued to dump their coffee cups in a pile next to it. The wind would then scatter the rubbish into the estate and surrounding areas. We have since removed the bin and the rubbish problem has reduced considerably although no doubt only moved further up the road.

People just don't think sometimes. At least I hope it's that and it's not that people just don't care about our environment.

I see this all the time at the first bin of any of the gates to Phoenix park. Bags of dog poop and coffee cups on and beside the bin. If there is no room in the bin take your rubbish home with you. Do people think the wind is not going to blow those coffee cups away? Disposable coffee cups should be banned. Bring a refill cup.

Biker79

Same in the city center. Rubbish bins overflowing, which is then picked up by the wind and scattered along the street.

Rubbish bins left on the street to be pecked at by seagulls, spreading its contents all over the place.

Fly tipping in the back lanes of the inner city.

Drunks leaving empty tins anywhere they feel like it ( with bins nearby ).

VonLuck

Amazingly I've seen a bathtub dumbed in the Tolka Valley Park. I wonder if it floated down the river as I can't imagine anyone bothering to trudge it all the way into the park.

I understand the lack of bins to a point. They're regularly set on fire. Thugs set fire to a whole picnic table recently.

The funny thing is that there are a large amount of CCTV cameras in the park and canal beyond Ashtown so I don't know why bins can't be introduced and monitored.

ongarboy

Was running by Porterstown level crossing this morning and road completely blocked by a huge pile of rubbish outside the halting site with a large sign complaining to Fingal council that it has ignored residents complaints about rubbish for years. The road is impassable to motorists right now. I'm not sure dumping more rubbish addresses the situation. Why aren't these complainants hounding their local councillors or notifying local media? It's an absolute disgrace to look at right now.

I notice a huge pile of rubbish further up including bed bases and other household rubbish that I raised on FixYourStreet about 3 weeks ago is still there also.

TheValeyard

ongarboy wrote: »

Was running by Porterstown level crossing this morning and road completely blocked by a huge pile of rubbish outside the halting site with a large sign complaining to Fingal council that it has ignored residents complaints about rubbish for years. The road is impassable to motorists right now. I'm not sure dumping more rubbish addresses the situation. Why aren't these complainants hounding their local councillors or notifying local media? It's an absolute disgrace to look at right now.

I notice a huge pile of rubbish further up including bed bases and other household rubbish that I raised on FixYourStreet about 3 weeks ago is still there also.

Ahhh is that why the road is closed up there

Dr_Colossus

Went for a jog up that way this morning and road still blockaded outside the halting site with large wheelie bins and other household rubbish strewn about. Of course it's all Fingal's fault as per the proclamation on the barricade.

Normally residents either via associations or groups monitor their locality and would be quick to spot and report fly tippers in an effort to stamp out such activity. In the few years I've passed that area of Porterstown Road there has always been large amounts of rubbish dumped and I expect it'll only get worse if residents have transformed it into two cul de sacs.

Upon my return along the canal there was a large Mr Price canvas bag full of clothes hangers dumped by the water's edge near the new social housing complex behind Applegreen. Beggars belief why someone would would go to the canal to dump waste. The Coolmine recycling centre would surely have taken them if they had any civic pride.

Phil.x

Maybe I'm missing something, but how is it the fault of fingal cc for the rubbish at the entrance to the halting site? Am I stating the obvious when saying it's the traveller's who are doing the dumping??

Orobhsa

junk gone and road opened when I walked past at 5pm.

Polar101

Walked past the railway bridge near Hansfield today, the underpass looks like a dump now. It's a shame some people don't care about their local area enough to bring their rubbish with them.

Phil.x

Polar101 wrote: »

Walked past the railway bridge near Hansfield today, the underpass looks like a dump now. It's a shame some people don't care about their local area enough to bring their rubbish with them.

I'd hazard a guess and say it's all being generated from the social welfare apartments beside it.

Praetorian22

Sometimes it is like the wild west down there!

On a positive note I've seen that the younglings have been forced to leave the farmers field beside the train station. They're no longer able to throw rubbish all around the field or try to antagonize the cattle.

The farmer rewired the weak entry points to the field and then dumped piles of manure in the middle of any hedge gaps!

Rather brilliant I say!

Treppen

raheny red wrote: »

I'm almost certain there's not one single bin between the 12th Lock and Cross Guns Bridge at Phisboro.....

The more bins you put out the more rubbish you attract. I've rarely seen a bin that's not jammed full of takeaway boxes with overflow thrown on the ground beside it. Or neatly tied up plastic bags thrown on the ground beside it either.

Just bring your rubbish home.

Fine offenders heavily.. or video them in the act and put up online.

raheny red

Treppen wrote: »

The more bins you put out the more rubbish you attract. I've rarely seen a bin that's not jammed full of takeaway boxes with overflow thrown on the ground beside it. Or neatly tied up plastic bags thrown on the ground beside it either.

Just bring your rubbish home.

Fine offenders heavily.. or video them in the act and put up online.

More bins, more collections, and more responsibility.

Such a shame its really one of society's biggest problems I believe.
Takeaway Coffee cups should be charged €3 alone in shops maybe that will help.

What does the green party think about it?
It's something that can be fixed I believe and would benefit everything very quickly.