Residents of Shannon are calling for the current anti-litter policy to be binned amid claims it’s ineffective in preventing illegal rubbish disposal.
It follows recent reports of persistent dumping in Shannon Town Park which is a recreational and biodiversity area in the heart of the industrial town.
The four-hectare site with walkways, native trees and hedgerows known as Shannon Town Park was opened in 2019 with a €1.5 million investment.
Located beside the Brú na Sionna apartments, the park is enjoyed by locals young and old and includes a bandstand, children’s playground, basketball court, pump track as well as outdoor seating.
Despite holding a Green Flag Award from An Taisce for the last few years, the site has been labelled a “litter blackspot” in recent times owing to reports of frequent illegal dumping around the park and its environs.
Shannon native and Independent local election candidate Keith McNamara believes a key reason for the prevalence of rubbish in the park is the poor spread of bins.
In February alone, 74 complaints relating to waste disposal and six relating to littering were received by Clare County Council.
The latest spike in littering in Shannon has prompted some residents to once again criticise the ‘Leave No Trace’ policy which is a national campaign that encourages people to “plan ahead, be considerate of others and dispose of waste correctly when enjoying the outdoors”.
The policy is Ireland’s only code of ethics programme for walkways and has been adopted by this county’s local authority.
Shannon Tidy Towns Chairperson Derek Clune says while the policy is admirable in theory, it isn’t working well on a practical level.
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In a statement to Clare FM, Clare County Council says “daily litter picking occurs on behalf of the Council and the mini road sweeper also services the park”, while there are nine bins located in the vicinity.
The local authority says its Environmental Awareness Officer also works collaboratively with local groups and organisations and visits local schools on an ongoing basis to highlight the litter prevention message and the role of personal responsibility.
