Extension of PURE Project December 2008

Mr. John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, today (4 December 2008) announced the extension of the Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments (PURE) Project for a further three year period 2009-2011.  The Department will provide funding of €100,000 per annum in support of the project over the three years.

The PURE Project was established on a pilot basis in January 2006, to combat the escalating problem of fly-tipping and small scale illegal dumping in the scenic area encompassed by the Wicklow and Dublin Uplands. The PURE Project is a regional environmental partnership initiative which unites all statutory and non-statutory interests in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands including the relevant local authorities, Coillte, the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) and a number of non-statutory organisations represented by the Wicklow Uplands Council.

The decision to extend the life of the PURE Project was taken following a full evaluation of performance over the three year pilot period. The evaluation revealed that PURE has been highly effective from an operations perspective. From December 2006 to the end of August 2008, the PURE Truck removed over 680 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from the Wicklow/South Dublin Uplands. During 2007 and 2008, PURE also received and investigated over 700 reports of illegal dumping through the EPA-PURE Lo-call Phone Line 1850 365 121, and a further 826 reports made directly to the PURE Office. They have also recently purchased covert CCTV equipment and are beginning to regularly monitor dumping “blackspots” to assist in the identification and prosecution of illegal dumpers.

In announcing the funding, the Minister outlined his satisfaction with the progress of the Project to date, saying that “the partnership approach adopted by the PURE Project, to the problem of illegal dumping and fly tipping in the Wicklow and Dublin Uplands has succeeded in greatly reducing incidences of illegal dumping in the region over the last three years. While progress has clearly been made, there is no room for complacency. The Wicklow and Dublin Upland are one of this country’s most important tourist regions and for this reason, I am happy to extend funding of €300,000 to the Project over the three year period.”