‘Stronger action needed on illegal dumping’ – Boylan | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

‘Stronger action needed on illegal dumping’ – Boylan

Stronger measures and enforcement are required to tackle illegal landfill dumping, Sinn Féin Environment Spokesperson Cathal Boylan has said.

The Newry and Armagh MLA was commenting after new figures show that up to 750,000 tonnes of waste were illegally dumped in the North over the last ten years.

 

 

Speaking to Newry Times, he said, “Hundreds and thousands of tonnes of waste have been illegally dumped in landfills to avoid landfill tax, a measure introduced by the British Government supposedly to encourage recycling and waste recovery but has actually led to huge increases in illegal landfill dumping.

“With only 66 convictions over the last number of years from 2008 to 2017 for those guilty of dumping in illegal landfills, clearly more needs to be done to ensure that illegal dumpers are brought to justice.

 

 

“The material dumped not only has has a financial cost to clean up, but damages our environment by contaminating the soil and has the potential to damage our health as it could seep into the water we drink.

“The British Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has introduced new penalties for dumpers which will be in place from the 1 April 2018, which will ensure that those dumping waste will be liable for unpaid landfill tax. 

He added, “Locally we need a stronger emphasis on enforcement and prosecution of those engaged in the criminal dumping of waste.”

 

 

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=63500

Posted by on Mar 6 2018. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Leave a Reply







Find us on Facebook

Log in | Designed by Gabfire themes