A new law aimed at giving Laois County Council the power to use CCTV to help prosecute those who dump illegally is on the way.
So says local Green Party Minister Pippa Hackett who was speaking about the Circular Economy Bill 2022.
Under the law, Councils will be permitted to use CCTV and other technologies to tackle illegal dumping and littering.
Minister Hackett said: “I receive many queries and complaints to my office in respect of illegal dumping and, up to now, the hands of Local Authorities, who are responsible for waste management and enforcement, have been tied in how they deal with such offences.
“I welcome this new law will allow for the utilisation of CCTV to identify and target offenders while at the same time ensuring that there are robust data protection safeguards in place.
“While only a minority of citizens illegally dump or burn their waste, the impact of litter and fly-tipped waste on the environment, and often our most beautiful locations, is a blight on our community”
The new law is part of the Circular Economy Bill 2022, announced by Green Party Minister Ossain Smyth.
It includes a suite of measures that puts into law many of the commitments the Government has made in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and last year’s Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy.
Speaking on Circular Economy Bill 2022, Minister Hackett said: “This is a momentous step towards our transition to a circular economy.
“We can no longer operate under the ‘take, make and waste’ model.
“We don’t have the natural resources to sustain such a model and our environment simply cannot cope with the amount of waste it produces.
“We must rethink the way we consume the goods and materials we use every day.”
SEE ALSO – Fur farm in Laois faces closure following introduction of new legislation
