Bin inspectors calling door to door in Laois

Waste disposal inspectors are now knocking on Laois doors to request evidence from residents on how they get rid of their waste legally.

“March saw the beginning of household waste disposal inspections across the county with homeowners required to provide evidence of their household waste disposal and segregation,” Laois County Council reported at the March council meeting.

Householders are legally obliged to show proof of a bin company contract, or regular visits to the landfill. Failure to comply with the bye-laws may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice (Maximum €75) being issued by the council or Gardaí. It may also lead to a fine on conviction of up to €2,500.

It is one of the few legal actions that the council can take, as legislation is still not enacted to allow the council to again use CCTV footage to bring dumpers to court.

In the first two months of 2022, the council cleaned up 78 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from the countryside.

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Some 181 complaints have been made to the council about environmental pollution concerns in Laois so far in 2022.

There have been 148 about waste enforcement, three on waste management and infrastruction, four on air, 12 on water, five on noise and nine on veterinary.