15th Anniversary of the Pure Mile

Pure Mile Volunteers to Celebrate their achievements at the 2024 Pure Mile Awards Night

The Pure Mile is an environmental, community, heritage initiative, established by Pure, which encourages communities and groups living in rural areas to adopt a mile, or miles, of road, and keep this area litter/rubbish free, research information about their local wildflowers, plants, trees, animals, and the built, cultural, and social heritage of an area.

Ian Davis, Pure Manager, commented,

“This will be the 15th year of the Pure Mile, with the largest number of groups and volunteers involved in the project since it was established in 2009.  The first year we had 5 miles of road, and this year, 15 years later, we have a record number of areas involved in the initiative and we know have roads, mountains, woodlands, valleys, forestries, and upland amenities, with over 3,500 volunteers.  The Pure Mile demonstrates that people want to make a difference to the environment, and Pure gives them the assistance, so they can make that difference.  The Pure Mile Awards Night is Pure’s way of thanking all of the people involved in the Pure Mile, and it enables Pure Mile Groups to meet up all together for one night and one night only”.

During the awards night every group will receive a Pure Mile Certificate of Participation, a selection of native Irish trees, and all will be included in the popular Pure Mile Calendar, which will also be launched on the night.

Certificates of Recognition will also be presented by Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD., and the Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Paul O’Brien with €6,000 of prize money being handed out to the winning Pure Mile Groups and their volunteers.

The Pure Mile is the perfect opportunity for communities and groups who want to make a positive contribution to their locality and environment, and assists people in improving and enhancing the place they live in, or recreate in.  Special interest groups such as, walking groups, cycling groups, running groups, hiking groups, businesses, and organisations, adopt a mile, or miles of road, in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and help Pure to ‘Clean Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands’.  Pure provide all groups with Pure Mile signage, Pure Mile high-vis vests, Pure Mile bags, gloves, and litter pickers, and Pure also removes all of the rubbish collected by the groups. 

If any groups, communities, individuals, schools, walking groups, cycling groups, scouts, businesses, anyone, want to get involved in next years Pure Mile, they can contact Pure at info@pureproject.ie or download an application from www.pureproject.ie/what-we-do/the-pure-mile/.  You can also write to; Pure Project, Unit 6 B, Riverside Business Centre, Tinahely, Co Wicklow, Y14 R978, and they will post out all the information, or request an application form and information pack by phoning Pure on 0402 28662.

TO REPORT DUMPERS AND DUMPING IN THE WICKLOW/DUBLIN UPLANDS
LO-CALL 1800 365 123

Notes to Editor:

Background to the establishment of the Pure Project:

Pure is a partnership project and the first of its kind in Ireland which incorporates statutory and non-statutory organisations, including; the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications, Wicklow County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Coillte, National Parks & Wildlife Service, and the Wicklow Uplands Council, and the first regional partnership initiative established in Ireland to combat fly-tipping/illegal dumping and was officially launched in September 2006.

The concept of the Pure project developed after a number of forums between the above organisations were held over a one-year period, between 2005 and 2006, with the objective of finding a solution to the increase of fly-tipping and small-scale illegal dumping activity in the Wicklow/Dublin upland regions, as each of the organisation were affected by the problem.

Pure focuses directly on the fly-tipping/illegal dumping issue and has introduced a number of enforcement, preventative, and educational initiatives including:

  • A lo-call-phone-line for reporting of fly-tipping/illegal dumping – 1800 365 123
  • Dedicated clean-up vehicle which responds to all incidents of fly-tipping/illegal dumping
  • GPS/GIS data-base to record all incidents of fly-tipping/illegal dumping
  • Covert CCTV monitoring of affected sites
  • Suitable preventative measures
  • Pure Promotional/informational material
  • Education programmes – Primary school teacher’s pack – Pure Animation, Pure Music, Pure Theatre, etc.
  • Community initiatives – The Pure Mile
  • Public awareness campaigns
  • Website – www.pureproject.ie
  • Digital marketing campaigns
  • Media campaigns
     

STATS:

  • Over 3,800 tonnes of illegal dumping removed from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands
  • Over 15,000 reports of illegal dumping received by Pure
  • Over 14,000 Pure Truck Collections