The Environment Section is responsible for a wide range of services spanning three programme groups as outlined below. Objectives in the Council’s Corporate Plan include the protection and improvement of water and air quality in Sligo, and to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
The focus in 2006 was to continue to implement measures to achieve these corporate objectives.
Environmental Protection
Agriculture and Education
Miscellaneous
In May 2006, the Replacement Waste Management Plan for the Connaught Region 2006 – 2011 was made by the six local authorities in Connaught. This plan sets out a framework on how waste is to be managed in the region over the next 5 years, and implementation of the plan commenced on its adoption in 2006.
The Plan places a big emphasis on waste prevention and minimisation, the most favoured options on the EU Waste Hierarchy. It re-emphasises the targets to be achieved by 2013 as set out in the previous plan i.e. Recycle 48%, Thermally Treat 33% and Landfill 19%. The Plan sets out the infrastructure required, over the period of the Plan, in order to achieve these ambitious EU targets. Targeting the commercial sector will also be essential in helping to achieve these targets.
Sligo’s recycling rate increased from 18% at the end of 2005 to 28% at the end of 2006. This 55% increase was largely due to improved awareness of the recycling options available in Sligo and an expansion of the door-to-door separate collection of dry recyclable materials in the County.
During 2006, householders had two options available to deal with dry recyclable materials. Dry recyclable materials include: cardboard, paper, newspaper magazines, tetra pak, food cans, aluminium cans, plastic bottles and plastic cartons. These materials can all be recycled and should be viewed as a raw material rather than a waste.
Option 1 is to bring materials to one of the two Recycling Centres in operation in Sligo. The Recycling Centre at Greenstar WDS in Finisklin, Sligo was upgraded during 2006 to improve its appearance and make it more user friendly. 2006 was the first full year of operation of the Recycling centre in Tubbercurry and tonnages increased during the year. Approximately 1,350 tonnes of material was recycled via the two Recycling Centres in Sligo.
Option 2 is to participate in the door-to-door separate collection of dry recyclable materials. Householders can purchase a pre-paid recyclable bag which is collected weekly or fortnightly, depending on the contractor used. The coverage of this separate collection service for dry recyclables increased significantly in 2006, and this along with an increased awareness of the recycling facilities available in Sligo, greatly contributed to the increase in the recycling rate in Sligo.
A total of 42 bottle banks for the recovery of glass and cans were in operation in 2006 throughout Sligo Town and County. The glass recycling rate continued to increase with over 1,100 tonnes of glass recycled in 2006. This equates to the recycling of approximately 3.7 million glass bottles.
Sligo ranks third in the Country in Rehab’s National Glass Recycling League Table for number of bottles recycled per head of population. The busiest bottle bank in 2006 in Sligo town was the bottle bank situated at Lidl, while Grange Village boasted the busiest bottle bank in the county area, followed closely by Strandhill Village.
Organic kitchen waste makes up approximately 30% of all household waste generated. Home composting is a positive and simple option to deal with this waste. In 2006, the Environment Section continued to promote the use of home composters and offered them for sale at a subsidised rate. In urban areas that are not suitable for home composting, the ultimate solution is to introduce a third bin for the collection of separated kitchen waste only. In order to do this, a Composting or Biological Treatment Facility needs to be put in place to process this waste. This is in line with the Replacement Connaught Waste Management Plan made in 2006.
Since the Waste Management Act came into being in 1996, a large number of Waste Regulations have followed, covering a wide range of waste management activities. Proceeds from a number of initiatives at national level, including the Plastic Bag Levy and the Landfill Levy are funding waste enforcement teams in local authorities across the country. In 2006, Sligo County Council employed a second Waste Enforcement Officer to help the existing established Waste Enforcement Team implement regulations and ensure waste is managed in an environmentally sustainable manner.
One of Sligo County Council’s main priorities in 2006 in this area was to ensure that waste is collected by a collector holding a valid waste collection permit for the type of waste they are collecting, and that all waste is transported to an appropriately licensed or permitted facility. There are 231 waste collectors permitted to collect waste in Sligo ranging from household recyclables to industrial hazardous wastes, and 28 permitted sites, mostly for the recovery of Construction & Demolition (C&D) material. During 2006 the Waste Enforcement Officers carried out regular inspections of these facilities and activities as well as any unauthorised facilities or activities that came to the attention of the Council. Road checkpoints were carried out in partnership with neighbouring local authorities to enforce regulations governing the transport of all waste types. The transport of hazardous waste was also targeted and Sligo County Council participated in a working group at national level, in this area.
Other target areas in the waste enforcement area included the illegal burning of waste, the farm plastics levy, hazardous waste storage at garages and the Packaging Regulations. The Packaging Regulations require all producers of packaging, from corner shops and pubs to major supermarkets and retail outlets to separate the packaging waste produced on the premises and make it available for separate collection by a recovery operator. Implementation of these regulations has a major positive impact on the diversion of further recyclable material from landfill.
End of Life Vehicle (ELV) Regulations were introduced in 2006. These regulations put obligations on producers of vehicles to fund the recycling of vehicles at their end of life. All vehicle dismantlers are required to have specific ELV de-pollution equipment installed at their facilities as well as having standard pollution control measures in place. Car owners can recycle their old cars free of charge when brought to these Authorised Treatment Facilities. Local Authorities must enforce these regulations and work in this area commenced in Sligo towards the end of 2006.
In a bid to reduce instances of illegal waste storage and littering the employment of new technologies is constantly being reviewed with the use of covert surveillance researched in 2006 with a view to being implemented at a number of sites in 2007.
Waste enforcement was a priority in 2006 and this was reflected in the achievements made in the area of illegal waste activity. Approximately 300 inspectionswere made and over 30 legal notices were served for unauthorised activities.
In 2005, Sligo County Council adopted Waste Presentation By-laws which came into effect on 1st January 2006. The purpose of these by-laws is to ensure that waste is presented for collection by the householder where a collection service is available, and to ensure that all waste that is presented for collection is segregated appropriately and does not cause an environmental nuisance. In 2006, the Waste Enforcement Team worked closely with the private waste collectors in implementing these By-laws and in optimising collection routes in rural areas to ensure maximum collection. Enforcement of these By-laws aims to reduce the incidences of illegal dumping and burning of waste and also eliminate litter generated by waste presented for collection.
It has been widely proven in Europe that education and awareness in waste management best practice is a continuous process. Sligo County Council continued its programmes in this area, which has achieved significant results to date. Emphasis was placed on waste prevention and minimisation campaigns, along with campaigns to encourage source separation of waste. Encouraging greater use of Recycling Centres, Bring Banks, the separate kerbside collection of dry recyclable wastes and the use of home composting was a priority in 2006. Another focus was the continuation of implementing the WEEE Directive which allows householders to bring all waste electrical and electronic goods to the Recycling Centres free of charge.
The Environmental Awareness Officer organised a number of initiatives with community groups, organisations and schools but one of the most successful in 2006 was the Green Schools Campaign. A number of school visits took place with over 1530 pupils availing of talks and literature focusing on dealing with good waste management practices, the problem of littering along with water and energy conservation themes. The visits are designed to enable schools to link into local waste management services, to inform students of the difficulties with land-filling and of the need to adopt a more sustainable approach to waste. The second primary objective of visits is to equip students with information that will help affect the waste habits of their families.
In October 2006, the Environment Section organised a Green Schools Seminar and invited all schools to participate of which 51 attended. This seminar, which was hosted by An Taisce, focused on the themes of Litter and Waste Management, Energy and Water. Arising from the seminar, a total of 10 new schools registered with An Taisce for the Green Schools Programme. In 2006, 58 out of 71 primary schools and 14 out of 15 post-primary schools were registered in the Green Schools programme. To date Sligo has 33 schools flying the prestigious green flag with the remaining 39 schools working towards this achievement.
Other initiatives included the Green Christmas Campaign, anti-litter awareness competitions for community groups and schools and the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund which helps fund a variety of community based projects on the theme of waste awareness and reduction. In March, National Tree Week was co-ordinated by the Environment Section and over 30 community/voluntary groups and schools received free saplings. The month of April was dedicated to promoting the National Anti-litter Campaign – National Spring Clean, in which 85 groups took part. Throughout the year, Tidy Towns Committees continued to receive support through the provision of bags, litter pickers and gloves.
The Environmental Awareness Officer uses the local media in the form of radio and newspaper advertisements, press releases, interviews and the Council’s website, to promote the campaigns as they arise in all areas of the environment including water quality and pollution control.
The issue of litter continues to be a major challenge. In 2006 activity was increased and particular emphasis was put on the issue of illegal roadside signage, which not only detracts from the amenity of an area, but also poses a risk to road users. The Environment Strategic Policy Committee continued with the development of a signage policy, which outlines the ‘dos and don’ts’ for temporary roadside signage under the Litter Pollution Act 1997-2003. The relevant Roads & Planning legislation is also included in this policy, which it is hoped, will come into force in 2007.
Sligo County Council issued 385 on-the-spot fines in 2006 for offences ranging from illegal signage to 2 or less bags of refuse illegally dumped on public property. Larger quantities of refuse dumped are dealt with under litter and waste management legislation and legal proceedings are initiated. Non payment of fines result in legal action being taken by the Council and one such case was taken in 2006 which was a successful conviction. By the end of 2006 the Council had secured 5 prosecutions for all cases with court fines ranging from €1 to €500. In addition to this, one Section 9 notice was sent to private property owners directing them to clear their lands of litter (where it is visible from a public place).
A zero tolerance approach is being taken to littering at bring bank sites. Tenders were sought in December for the upgrade of all sites in the county and for the installation of cameras at various sites. These works shall be carried out in 2007.
Under section 6 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, occupiers of premises fronting onto the footway within town limits are obliged to keep the area in front of their premises free of litter. Not to do so is an offence and can attract an on-the-spot fine of €125. Operation Clean Sweep involves a partnership approach between Sligo County Council’s Environmental Awareness Officer, Litter Warden and the business community. The Council has introduced Operation Clean Sweep to the towns of Ballymote, Tubbercurry, Enniscrone Collooney and Ballisodare and will continue to introduce it into other towns and villages throughout 2007.
In 2006, the Environment Section co-funded the tidy town’s initiative, co-ordinated by the Community and Enterprise office, and carried out judging on the best street, school and bottle-bank.
A review of the Litter Management Plan took place in conjunction with Sligo Borough Council. This Plan is prepared pursuant to Section 10 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997-2003 and it aims to identify and quantify the litter problem, establish Council and Community responsibility and develop ways of tackling and eliminating the problem. It is hoped that the Draft Litter Management Plan will be put before the full Council in March 2007 before going on public display. Following this, it is envisaged that the Plan will be adopted by the full Council.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest water quality report confirms that Sligo’s water quality remains above the national average with 95% of Sligo’s river channel length categorised as unpolluted.
All 13 of the Sligo lakes, including water abstraction lakes, monitored over the reporting period, have satisfactory water quality. However, some downward trends have been observed. The water quality in Lough Talt, a major water abstraction lake, has deteriorated slightly over the reporting period, thus requiring close monitoring and control by our staff. Heavy shoreline algae observed on Lough Arrow indicates over enrichment by phosphorus. This highlights the need to reduce phosphorous inputs to this important brown trout fishery lake. Zebra mussels have been identified in both Lough Arrow and Lough Gill. Zebra mussels, although not of a health significance, are expected to have an influence on the long-term quality of these lakes. A campaign is underway which aims to reduce the risk of the spread of zebra mussels to unaffected waters. The campaign called ‘Western Zebra Mussel Control Initiative’, in which Sligo County Council plays an active part, hopes to achieve this through extensive media and awareness campaigns, which began in 2005 and continued in 2006.
The challenge for Sligo County Council and all stakeholders in Sligo’s waters is to continue to improve the quality of unsatisfactory waters and maintain the quality of satisfactory waters throughout the County. Sligo County Council continued, in 2006, to carry out a range of measures to achieve this including enforcement measures under the Water Pollution Acts, and developing ‘best practice’ guidance documents for sectors that impact on water quality. All industrial discharges to waters require a licence from the Local Authority. Extensive water quality monitoring and catchment survey work continued in 2006. A particular target was the agricultural sector. Farm inspections were carried out resulting in improved measures being put in place to manage farmyard waste thus reducing the risk of water pollution from these premises.
The protection of groundwater from the risk of pollution from on-site treatment systems continued to be a priority. The panel of Site Assessors was updated during the year and the Council continued to work with these site assessors to ensure best practice was being employed in this area.
The Water Pollution Team dealt with over 500 planning applications in 2006. These large numbers were partly due to a Department of Agriculture grant initiative to improve waste management farm infrastructure. This was a very positive initiative which again should help towards reducing the risk of water pollution from these premises.
The Water Pollution Team dealt with over 500 planning applications in 2006. These large numbers were partly due to a Department of Agriculture grant initiative to improve waste management farm infrastructure. This was a very positive initiative which again should help towards reducing the risk of water pollution from these premises.
Draft Source Protection Plans were prepared for the Lough Talt, Calry and Kilsellagh drinking water supplies. These plans will be put before the Council for adoption in 2007. Draft Source Protection Plans were prepared for the Lough Talt, Calry and Kilsellagh drinking water supplies. These plans will be put before the Council for adoption in 2007.
The overall objective of river basin projects is to establish an integrated monitoring and management system for all waters within a River Basin District, to develop a dynamic programme of management measures and to produce a River Basin Management Plan, which will be continuously updated.
The main responsibility for the implementation of this Directive lies with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Local Authorities, to be supported by a number of other public bodies. Following the preparation of the characterisation report in 2005, an extensive monitoring programme was designed in 2006.
The purpose of the monitoring programme is to determine the definite risk category of all water bodies i.e. either ‘at risk’ or ‘not at risk’. From 2007 onwards, Sligo County Council’s annual monitoring programme for rivers and lakes will be determined by this River Basin monitoring programme.
During 2006 Sligo County Council continued to work with the other Local Authorities in the development of this project, and participated in Working Groups in the areas of forestry and the effluent treatment in unserviced areas.
As part of the River Basin District Project, Sligo County Council participated in a project titled ‘Small Scheme Risk Score’. This project involved specific focused surveys of small streams throughout the county to aid in their characterisation and in the determination of the risk category they fell into.
Drinking Water Monitoring and Laboratory Sligo continues to enjoy a very high standard of drinking water throughout the County. Sligo County Council’s laboratory staff carries out testing of all public supplies on a regular basis in accordance with the EC (Drinking Water) Regulations, 2000. These regulations came into effect on 01 January 2004 and to quote the EPA: “This set of drinking water regulations is radically different from its predecessor and will entail very significant changes in virtually all aspects of implementation, including sample number, parameters, parameter classes, extent of coverage, and so on.”
During 2006 the full programme of monitoring required for the County under the regulations, was carried out. Group Water Scheme monitoring took place towards the end of 2006 and shall be expanded in 2007. Most of the analysis was carried out in the Council’s well equipped environmental science laboratory. Sligo County Council’s laboratory staff also monitored the effluent discharges from all the Local Authority’s Waste Water Treatment Plants in accordance with the 1994 Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations, as well as all discharges from licensed premises in accordance with the conditions of the discharge licence issued.
In 2006 Sligo was again awarded 3 Blue Flags for Rosses Point, Mullaghmore and Enniscrone. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carries out regular monitoring of these bathing waters during the summer season on behalf of Sligo County Council, in accordance with the blue flag criteria and the Bathing Water Regulations. The required water quality testing programmes were carried out in full in 2006, and the water quality conformed to the bathing water standards. Sligo County Council will again apply for three Blue Flags for the 2007 bathing season. To receive a Blue Flag, a bathing site, in addition to maintaining a high standard of water quality, must meet specified objectives with regard to the provision of safety services and facilities, environmental management of the beach area and environmental education.
During June, July and August 2006, Sligo County Council provided a beach-guard service on five beaches in the County. The beach-guards worked on a full-time basis at Enniscrone, Mullaghmore, Rosses Point and Streedagh beaches and at weekend’s only on Dunmoran. A full time beach-warden service for Strandhill is also operated throughout the summer months.
Sligo enjoys excellent air quality and is fortunate in not having heavy industry discharging to the atmosphere. The Environment Section continues to enforce legislation in relation to backyard burning of waste, and the use of smokeless fuels in Sligo City.
The Council, under a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, supervises the operation of meat plants in the County. There are currently two abattoirs in operation, one having closed at the beginning of 2006. These pre and post slaughter checks on all animals take place along with continuous monitoring of hygiene and welfare standards and BSE controls. As part of the new Hygiene Package Regulations introduced at the beginning of 2006 both premises undertook training in HACCP which is a food safety management system and have introduced HACCP plans in their premises. Both will also be able to apply for full export licences. One of the two Small Meat Manufacturing Plants received its new EU number in 2006.
The inspection of liquid milk producers has continued throughout the year. The Local Authority Veterinary Service has drawn up a standardised Inspection Protocol for these inspections. A proportion of producers have been visited during 2006. The number of producers is falling as small producers in particular come under pressure.
The Control of Dogs Act, The Control of Horses Act and the Sheep Scab Orders (Diseases of Animals Act) are the main pieces of welfare legislation for which the Council has responsibility.
The Dog Warden Service is operated by the warden under contract to Sligo County Council. This arrangement has resulted in a more efficient service for the County. The number of licences issued in 2006 was 3473. The re-homing rate for 2006 was approximately 60% which is much higher than the national average. There has also been an increased level of enforcement in problem areas. There continues to be an issue in certain areas with the numbers of restricted dog breeds being kept and with these breeds not being properly confined. The warden has been very proactive in investigating complaints and actively encourages people to surrender problem dogs.
The issue of stray horses continues to be monitored. While there were a number of complaints no horses were seized in 2006. Issues have arisen at a number of specific locations and action will be taken if problems persist.