links.jpg
Press Room » Press Release Febuary 2008: Update on PURE Project

Press Release Febuary 2008: Update on PURE Project

2007 was a very busy year for PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural Environments), with approximately 400 tonnes of illegally dumped rubbish removed from the landscape.  The project, which was only launched in September 2006, is a regional initiative incorporating four local authorities including; Wicklow County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and Dublin City Council, as well as Coillte, National Parks & Wildlife Service, ESB, and a number of non-statutory organisations represented by the Wicklow Uplands Council, to halt incidents of small scale illegal dumping/fly-tipping in the Wicklow/Dublin upland regions.   Throughout the 2007 year the PURE office received a steady flow of illegal dumping complaints with over 800 phone calls, varying from a black bag on the side of a road, to a truck load of illegally dumped material by a mountain stream.  In the same year the PURE truck made over 700 individual collections with over 500 illegally disposed electrical items ranging from fridges; washing machines, cookers etc. removed from the Wicklow/Dublin uplands.  This continual dumping of electrical items in our county’s environment is a blatant act of disrespect for uplands region as all electrical equipment can now be disposed of free of charge at any recycling centre, or, if you buy a new electrical item the retailer has to take back your old one. Recently the PURE project removed over 15 tonnes of illegally dumped material from the Kilcara area, close to the Vale of Avoca in Arklow.  This dumping was the result of both householders and unauthorised waste collectors using the scenic location as dumping site over a long period of time. PURE have just launched a new website, www.pureproject.ie and a primary schools education pack.  The PURE Primary Schools Teachers’ Pack is designed to provide primary school teachers with information and work sheets on environmental education.  The education programme was designed for all classes in primary schools and all of the modules can be printed, photocopied and distributed to students.  The information and exercises are fun and interesting ways for children to learn about their natural environment, with stories, games, activities, word games, quizzes, simple class room experiments, and much more.  The pack was designed to accompany the current primary school curriculum and has been distributed to all schools in Wicklow, South Dublin and Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown regions.  All of the educational material is available for download on the PURE web.  The web site also includes a resource section for teachers who would like to expand on certain topics.  Any other organisations who are interested in the education pack should log on to www.pureproject.ie and contact the project office. PURE continue to urge people to contact their lo-call-phone-line, 1850-365-121, and report incidents of dumping and those responsible. 
Posted on by Ian W Davis