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Litter Management

 

Litter Management Plan

Each Local Authority is required to develop and implement a Litter Management Plan. The current plan is for the period 2010 – 2012, Litter Management Plan 

The plan sets out objectives and targets for litter management for the three year period 2010-2012.

Litter Awareness

Litter awareness is raised through radio campaigns, billboard advertising, promotional merchandise etc. To raise awareness of litter the following grant is available:

Anti Litter

This grant is available to raise public awareness and promote anti-litter and anti-graffiti activity at local level.

The maximum grant allowed for any one project may be up to 70% of the project costs, with the balance being met by way of local contributions.

 

Gum Litter Task Force

This is aimed to promote a behaviour change among gum droppers through local campaigns.

Prevention & Control

The Council have a programme for street cleaning in towns and villages throughout the county. Frequency of street cleaning ranges from daily to quarterly depending on town size.

Other Litter control measures undertaken by the Council include:

  • the provision and emptying of street litter bins
  • litter picking
  • removal of illegally dumped/fly-tipped waste

Enforcement

Illegal dumping

It is an offence to illegally dump waste, it is an offence to give waste to a collector that does not have a valid waste collection permit and it is an offence to collect waste without a valid waste collection permit. For information on waste permits click here.

The local authority can also require a householder or business operator to indicate how and where they are disposing of their waste. This is particularly relevant if the householder or business owner is not availing of a refuse collection service or bringing their waste to an authorised disposal facility.

Litter Fines

Leaving or throwing litter in a public place is an offence which can be subject to an "on the spot fine" of €150 and maximum fine of €3,000 on conviction in the District Court. A person convicted of a litter offence may be required by the Court to pay the Council's costs and expenses in investigating the offence and in bringing the prosecution.

Dog Fouling

Dog owners must remove their pets' waste from public places and dispose of it in a proper manner. This obligation applies to the following places:

  • Public roads and footpaths
  • Areas around shopping centres 
  • School and sport grounds 
  • Beaches 
  • The immediate area surrounding another persons house 
  • Posters and signs

Unauthorised signage

The law forbids the putting up of signs/posters on poles or on other structures in public places unless you have written permission of the owner of the pole or other structure in advance of putting up the posters/signs.

Westmeath Co. Co. also requests prior notification of any temporary signage to be erected.

Abandoned Cars

Abandoned vehicles in a public place are an offence.

If a vehicle is abandoned in a public place, the council places an abandoned vehicles notice on it. The owner has seven days in which to remove it. If it is not removed within seven days, the council makes arrangements to have it removed.

Roadside Sale of Cars

Any vehicle found offered for sale on the public roadside will be affixed with a sticker instructing its removal within 24 hours. If the vehicle is not removed, or if the same vehicle is found offered for sale on the public roadside at any time in the future, it will be removed by the County Council and stored for a maximum of six weeks, before being disposed of.

Persons seeking to reclaim the vehicle must pay the costs of removal and storage of the vehicle in full before the impounded vehicle can be released.
Private Property

The owner or occupier of property which can be seen from a public place is obliged to keep it free of litter. Basically any outdoor area on your property that is visible from a public place must be kept free of litter. Where litter has accumulated on property for whatever reason and the litter is visible from a public place, the local authority can issue a notice to the owner requiring the prompt removal of the litter.

Shop owner/businesses

If you are the owner or the person responsible for a place to which the public has access you are obliged to keep the place litter free, regardless of how the litter got there. This applies to any public place which may include the precincts of a shopping centre, a school, a public park, a train or bus station.

Private Property

The owner or occupier of property which can be seen from a public place is obliged to keep it free of litter. Basically any outdoor area on your property that is visible from a public place must be kept free of litter. Where litter has accumulated on property for whatever reason and the litter is visible from a public place, the local authority can issue a notice to the owner requiring the prompt removal of the litter.

Illegal dumping

It is an offence to illegally dump waste, it is an offence to give waste to a collector that does not have a valid waste collection permit and it is an offence to collect waste without a valid waste collection permit. For information on waste permits click here.

The local authority can also require a householder or business operator to indicate how and where they are disposing of their waste. This is particularly relevant if the householder or business owner is not availing of a refuse collection service or bringing their waste to an authorised disposal facility.

Litter Fines

Leaving or throwing litter in a public place is an offence which can be subject to an "on the spot fine" of €150 and maximum fine of €3,000 on conviction in the District Court. A person convicted of a litter offence may be required by the Court to pay the Council's costs and expenses in investigating the offence and in bringing the prosecution.

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