photo credit: Moon Rhythm

A shocking report was carried in yesterdays Irish Times about the problem of rubbish being dumped in the Wicklow Mountains. The organisation Pure ((Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments) removed 400 TONNES of rubbish last year alone. That’s the equivalent of 700 small household skips! 15 tonnes of rubbish was removed last month and it contained toxic material such as batteries, paint cans and solvents.

The organisation has CCTV in operation in certain locations and has registration numbers and faces of those who have dumped rubbish and they are calling on those responsible to be named and shamed. The project manager for Pure has said that naming and shaming would deter people.

Is simply listing names in a newspaper ad enough though? If there are faces on CCTV could the faces of those responsible not be plastered on poster ads in the county or, better still, how about a compilation to be displayed on outdoor screens at concerts or sporting events? Local authorities have had the power to name and shame for a number of years already and it obviously doesn’t work. Anyone dumping in the Wicklow Mountains has obviously driven to the location to dump rubbish. Could a law not be introduced to suspend the license to drive of anyone who has deliberately and maliciously set out to spoil the environment?

Radical action is needed to stop this problem once and for all.