Is this the cheekiest bit of dumping in Portlaoise?

Dumping continues to be an ecological problem in Laois towns and rural locations, but someone has cheekily discarded a whole bed in a housing estate.

A single bed frame and couch cushions were among a pile of waste sitting at the front of Esker Hills housing estate in Portlaoise on Tuesday, February 10.

However the tidy pile of waste actually has a positive side.

Vincent Booth, chair of Portlaoise Tidy Towns told all to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"I saw it myself and was surprised at first, it would have been cheeky alright," he said.

The dumped waste gathered at the entrance to Esker Hills housing estate in Portlaoise, next to an ESB box painted up by Portlaoise Tidy Towns. Photos: Leinster Express

It turns out that it is the result of hard work by community volunteers of the Award Winning Portlaoise Tidy Towns group, walking through the large estate and gathering up all the waste as part of a town wide spring clean in recent weeks.

"Over the past week we have filled up to 50 blue bags of waste in different parts of the town. Laois County Council staff Mark Bergin takes away all the bags in his lorry, he is fantastic, he is as passionate as we are about keeping the town clean.

"We have to leave the larger items of waste for a separate collection by the council's litter wardens," Vincent explained.

Portlaoise Tidy Towns volunteers with bags of gathered litter at Lismard retail park.

So far local volunteers have cleaned up the Dublin Road out to Ballydavis roundabout, the Stradbally road out to Adam's Garage, and Clonad past the Abbeyleix road, well beyond the town boundaries. 

"The way we look at it, when someone is driving into Portlaoise on an approach road, in your head you're already in Portlaoise, so we try and keep on top of even the motorway slip roads, they were always very littered, now we try to keep ahead," he said.

Tree and hedge row planting by 2nd years from Dunamaise College with Portlaoise Tidy Towns. 

Portlaoise Tidy Towns also cleans up the town centre area and Mountmellick road out to Fairgreen every week. They are also planting hundreds of native trees around the town, aided by the Trees On The Land charity and local students.

The group meets every Saturday morning at 9am at Mulhalls SuperValu in Lyster Square, and set out on their good deed cleanups. They welcome more members with equipment provided. Find Portlaoise Tidy Towns on Facebook and Instagram.

Tidy Towns in association with Trees on the Land sowing trees in Maryborough Village. They thank James Graham who removed the invasive species ‘laurel’ to allow them plant a native hedge which supports nature.

The group are planning a free giveaway of native trees for anyone in the Portlaoise area in early March, with details to follow.

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Chairperson Vincent Booth puts it succinctly.

"Those who plant together, grow together," he said.

To report incidents of illegal dumping, contact the Environment Section at environadmin@laoiscoco.ie or on the freephone confidential litter hotline 1800 32 32 30.