PURE Press Release November 2008

An environmental project which was established to tackle the increase of fly-tipping/illegal dumping in the Wicklow/Dublin uplands, PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural Environments), has removed approximately 800 tonnes of rubbish from the environment since 2007.  This amounts to 800,000kg of rubbish, which is the equivalent of over 114,000 standard black rubbish bags. The project manager, Ian Davis remarked;

‘Imagine the public’s reaction if over 114,000 bags of rubbish were dumped in the Wicklow Mountains in just one day.  If you lined up each of the bags that we have colleted they would stretch over 114 kilometres in length, the same as a journey from Glendalough to Wexford.’

On a monthly basis PURE are collecting over 30 tonnes of illegally dumped rubbish from one of the most spectacular areas in Ireland, with over 1,500 collections since the project was launched.  The project office and the lo-call-phone-line 1850 365 121, have received over 1,700 reports of illegal dumping.  Some people claim that by collecting this rubbish PURE are just cleaning up after those who are responsible, but Ian Davis commented;

‘Evidence shows that if illegally dumped rubbish is left on the landscape it only attracts further dumping.  We insure a quick response to incidents of dumping and remove all of the material.  We are the first project of its kind in Ireland where all sites affected by dumping are recorded by GPS/GIS, and we are collecting important data on what type of material is being dumped, who is responsible for this dumping, and which areas are being severely affected.’

Since the beginning of the project, PURE has initiated a number of projects to combat the growing problem of illegal dumping, including a public awareness campaign, a website – www.pureproject.ie, and a primary schools education pack, which was distributed to all schools in the Wicklow, South Dublin and Dun-Laoghaire areas.  Recently the project embarked on a regional advertisement campaign to alert people to both, unauthorised waste collectors, and the affects illegal dumping has on our environment.

The project has completed their future plan and objectives for the next three years and is planning on a secondary schools programme to engage teenagers in environmental issues.  PURE is also planning on launching a rural environmental project to encourage rural areas to enhance their locality entitled, ‘The Pure Mile’. 

‘The Pure Mile is the rural equivalent to the ‘Tidy Towns’ where it simply encourages areas to enhance their immediate environment including their natural and built heritage and the general appearance of where they live.  People focus on a mile of road and with community effort work to enhance their own areas.  It has been extremely successful in other counties in Ireland and we are confident that the people of Wicklow will take part.’  If people want to report illegal dumping/fly-tipping they can lo-call 1850 365 121.