The project celebrated 10 years on the road in 2016 and for this we made a short film looking back on the work achieved in those 10 years.
Pure developed after a number of meeting forums were held between the associated organisations over a one-year period, between 2005 and 2006, with the objective of finding a solution to the increase in fly-tipping and illegal dumping activity in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. Each of the organisations associated with Pure are continually affected by the illegal dumping problem.
The project is funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, with additional financial and in-kind contributions from the other key stakeholders.
Pure operates on a regional basis concentrating on the Wicklow/Dublin upland areas initially securing funding for a three year period, from 2006 to 2008. At the conclusion of the three years the project was evaluated to determine whether it should be extended. In December 2008 the Minister for the Environment, Mr. John Gormley, announced that Pure would receive funding for a further three year period from the Department. Although the Minister acknowledged that the partnership project was a success, he also stressed that, ‘while progress has clearly been made, there is no room for complacency’.
A further evaluation was conducted in 2011 and in November of that year, the Minister for the Environment, Mr. Phil Hogan, announced that Pure would receive funding for a further three years, up to the end of 2014.
A Project Evaluation Report and Submission of Extension was submitted in 2014, and Minister Alan Kelly from the Department of Environment committed funding to extend the project to the end of 2016.
In September 2016, the Project Manager of Pure submitted an Evaluation Report and Submission of Extension to Minister Denis Naughten, of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. In December 2016 Minister Naughten announced that Pure would receive funding for a further three years, up to the end of 2019, expressing his satisfaction with the progress of the Pure Project to date, stating that, ‘…Pure addresses a problem in a unique way with a partnership approach, addressing the problem of illegal dumping and fly tipping in the Wicklow and Dublin Uplands. This partnership between local communities, local authorities and government agencies has enjoyed great success in keeping one of our most beautiful and most visited landscapes free of litter and the blight of illegal dumping.’
In March 2023 the Minister of State Ossian Smyth, with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, commented on the success of Pure stating, ‘Everyone who spends time in the beautiful Wicklow and Dublin Uplands benefits from the work of the Pure Project and the efforts of the volunteers who participate annually in the Pure Mile Initiative. The reduction in illegal dumping in the area is impressive and my department is pleased to support this work.’
The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, has committed funding for Pure until the end of 2026.