Waste and litter is in OUR hands

by Roy Thompson.

I note with great interest, the comments of Kilcullen residents, speaking under the banner of KCA, about litter.

KCA, its birth coming out of a desire to broaden the focus of Kilcullen Tidy Towns Committee, has done tremendous work in attempting to clean our town and make it presentable to residents and visitors alike. I am forever dissappointed at the apparent contempt in which most people seen to hold our town. This must be true, otherwise they wouldn't continue to litter. What other reason is there?

I agree with the sentiments expressed by Ronan Murphy, that if bin charges increase, people will be tempted to dump their waste illegally instead of appropriately.

At the risk of being accused of being over-simplistic and aspirational, might I make a suggestion?

The crux of the matter seems to be money — the council's (and indeed the private operators') charges for bin collection are massive. This, folks, is the price we pay for our environmentally unsound approach to waste disposal. Now, of course we can blame successive Governments for their abject failure to tackle the waste issue, and we'd have a point, but where does the waste come from? That's right — from you and me.

So, do we just chuck it all in the bin? Yes we do, if we're lazy, and thereby make it somebody else's problem.

But the solution is within our control: R R R, the three Rs — Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

It's a simple concept. Reduce the amount of waste you produce as a household by trying to consume less packaging: try to avoid buying double wrapped goods in the supermarket; if you can't avoid it leave the outside wrapping with the shop — they cannot legally refuse to accept it.

Reuse by reusing plastic bags, keeping jam jars and other reusable containers etc to store stuff instead of buying ADDIS tubs (or the like), etc.

Recycle by recycling whatever you can't use. Compost your kitchen waste — a compost bin will cost you about €40 and has a massive appetite if used properly, and it doesn't take much effort.

Whatever is left that can't be RRRd can be dumped in the KCC dump at Silliot Hill on a pay-by-weight basis. There is a perfectly adequate recycling centre on the same site, so there's nothing stopping ye.

So why would you bother? Well, if for no other reason — money, money, money!!

For the past two and a half years my household has operated this system and all our recycling material goes in there for free and in the two and a half year period our landfill charges amount to less than €250! Now compare that to what is it now — nearly €400 for a standard 240 litre bin? Think about it!

Arra, maybe we're all too damn busy to give a toss. Well shame on us, what message are we sending our children? "The Pollutor Pays" is a sound principle and one I wholeheartedly endorse. The solution to Ireland's and Kilcullen's waste problem starts at home, and in the homes of every resident.

Don't be afraid to report people who illegally dump their waste. In the end they're only robbing you and I — because we'll have to pay to tidy it up.

Yes, successive Governments have done damn all to address the waste issue, but are we going to sit around for another 75 years awaiting spoon-feeding, or are we going to say "Sod them, we'll do what's right"?  After all who runs the country — us or them?

Finally, take all your litter home. Sounds so simple doesn't it? That's because it is. If you see someone drop a fag-packet celaphane wrapper, or the like, on the street, ask them to pick it up and show some pride in their locality, if they refuse and give you grief, just pick it up yourself, tell them politely what you think of their attitude and carry on with your day knowing that at least you have some civic pride and are contributing to keeping your town tidy.

If everyone took their attitude we'd be neck deep in filth, so well done to all those involved in the KCA litter pick-ups over the past few years — keep up the good work, your efforts are visible and appreciated by the vast majority — even if they don't join in the effort.

C'mon everybody — many hands make light work of keeping the place right.

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