Litter Control

Litter Management Plan

Under Section 10 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997 each Local Authority is required to develop and implement a Litter Management Plan for its functional area. Westmeath County Council made its first Litter Management Plan in 1998. The current plan was adopted in 2006 and is currently under review. The Draft Litter Management Plan 2010-2012 is available for a period of one month for public inspection from Wednesday 21st July to Friday 20th August 2010. The plan is available for inspection at the offices of Westmeath County Council, County Buildings, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. A summary of the proposed plan may be obtained free of charge.

Written submissions or observations with respect to the proposed plan should be made in writing to the Senior Executive Officer, Environment Section, Westmeath County Council to arrive no later than 4pm on Friday 3rd September 2010. Any such written submissions or observations shall be taken into consideration before the making of the proposed plan.

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

Draft Litter Management Plan 2010 - 2012

Litter Reporting Mail Address

We also have a litter reporting email address environment@westmeathcoco.ie. This is to facilitate reporting of incidences of littering witnessed by the public. The emails will be checked daily by environment staff and all reports will be investigated. Alternatively incidences of littering/llegal dumping can be reported to Lo-call 1890 320 005 It is hoped that members of the public will be prepared to give evidence which will lead to conviction in the courts.

Community Warden Service

The Community Wardens are designated as "Authorised Persons" under a variety of legislation, which gives them essential powers and functions e.g. as:

Litter Wardens
Dog Wardens
Traffic Wardens

The Community Warden Service can be accessed through the Environment Section of Westmeath County Council.
Phone: 1890 320 005

Litter Pollution Act 1997 - 2003 Information

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

Public Places

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.

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

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. To seek permission contact

Environmental Section, Westmeath County Council, County Buildings, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Tel: 044 9332226

Litter Awareness

Schools Education

Westmeath County Council actively supports the national initiative "Green Schools" co-ordinated by An Taisce, which is designed to bring environmental issues into the classroom and instill a sense of environmental caring among school children of all ages. Litter and Waste Management are mandatory themes during the first two years of the programme for schools taking up the challenge. In Westmeath 80 schools are registered with An Taisce and 50 schools have obtained the coveted Green Flag.

Council staff visit schools in the County to deliver the anti-litter message and these visits form part of a new educational strategy which is currently being put in place.

Reporting Litter:
All littering incidences or indeed any breach of any of the Pollution legislation should be reported to the Environment Section, Westmeath County Council.

Tel: 044-9332226. or 1890 320 005