In this week’s episode of Ours to Protect, we are talking all about Illegal Dumping. Illegal Dumping is a common worry when considering the environment and must be combated.
Clodagh met with Manager of Pure Project, Ian Davis about the Wicklow perspective on dumping. Pure Project is an organisation that deals with clearing up illegal dumping sites as well as ensuring that illegal dumping contributors are prosecuted.
Pure Project work in the geographical area of Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. Founded in 2006, Pure found a huge scale of illegal dumping sites. In 2008, Pure removed 440 tonnes of illegal dumping and in 2023 removed 120 tonnes of illegal dumping, proving to be a 72% reduction in illegal dumping in only 15 years.
What attributes have lead to this huge accomplishment?
-Awareness surrounding the environment.
-Genuine threat of legal action via. The Waste Management Act 2020.
-Wicklow based: Pure Mile Project; locals work together to improve the local environment. https://www.pureproject.ie/the-pure-mile/
Max met with WEEE Ireland’s CEO Leo Donovan to speak about recycling of electrical items. There is an average of 115 electrical appliances in homes. Therefore learning how to recycle them or repair them is a must when wanting to make a difference to the environment.
- Consider repairing your broken items. Go to https://www.repairmystuff.ie/ for repairs and advice.
- Make sure to go to an authorised collection point such as your local recycling centre or an electrical retailers; NOTE: Electrical appliances are free to recycle.
- Smaller appliances such as vapes, remote controls and IT devices are only recycled 12% of the time. So consider them when going to the centre.
- BEWARE of appliances that contain a battery! In the Recycling Centre in Tullamore, electrical items containing batteries will be carefully recycled, by removing the battery from the device. Recycling a battery appliance will help conserve natural resources, such as the earth, zinc and iron.
For more information on Pure Project, visit https://www.pureproject.ie/
For more information on WEEE Ireland, visit https://www.weeeireland.ie
