Clare Waste Awareness Week to highlight supports available in fight against waste

Clare Waste Awareness Week is a five-day virtual event organised by Clare County Council, in association with the Southern Regional Waste Management Planning Office, to highlight the role of the county’s five civic amenities, inform citizens on what they can do to correctly dispose of their waste and provide up-to-date information on reusing, reducing and recycling.

Through a series of online videos, a social media campaign, workshops and leaflets, Clare County Council will provide information, tips and fun facts each day, relating to different topics of interest or concern.

Monday, 16th November, will be dedicated to information relating to greener cleaning and household hazardous waste. In 2019, as much as 65 tonnes of paint and 30 tonnes of waste mineral oils and filters were collected at civic amenity sites in Clare.

Mindful that more than 156 tonnes of textiles are discarded in County Clare every year, Tuesday, 17th November, will be dedicated to reuse of textiles.

Wednesday, 18th November, will have food waste as its focus. Last year, there was a 10 per cent reduction in the amount of household residual waste collected when compared to 2016, with a 15 per cent increase in the amount of organic waste collected. However, just 75 per cent of households with a three-bin service regularly use their brown bin.

The remaining days will concentrate on highlighting civic services available in Clare and other waste management issues. Thursday, 19th November, will provide information on recycling in Clare and Friday, 20th November, will highlight the services available at Clare’s five civic amenity sites.

There has been a 10 per cent decrease in the amount of waste going to landfill in Clare in the three-year period between 2016 and 2019 and, while this figure is moving in the right direction in terms of reducing waste production, Clare County Council believes there is still room for improvement.

Clare County Council Director of Physical Development, Carmel Kirby, explained that Clare Waste Awareness Week is not just about highlighting what householders are doing to minimise their waste, but will also outline areas for improvement and offer advice on how best to achieve these goals.

Ms Kirby said: “The majority of Clare’s citizens are already involved in some form of waste segregation and recycling. More than 70 per cent of households in Clare avail of a waste collection service, a 7 per cent increase in the three-year period, 2016-2019.

“Unlike many other counties, almost all householders with a collection service, as many as 99 per cent, have a three-bin system, yet only 75 per cent of those households present their brown bin regularly for collection.”

Ms Kirby added: “There is no doubt that, since the introduction of the Regional Waste Management Plan 2015, the rates of recycling and waste segregation in Clare have improved significantly, but we still have a way to go if we are to reach EU recycling targets. I am confident that there is a willingness among the community to improve our carbon footprint, and Clare County Council is keen to provide information and supports as we work together to manage our waste. Clare County Council is delighted, therefore, to host Waste Awareness Week, with the support of the Southern Regional Waste Management Planning Office.”

Karen Foley, Environmental Awareness Officer with Clare County Council, is also encouraged by people’s willingness to learn more and do more when it comes to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“Even since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have observed some changes in the county’s recycling patterns. Clare County Council, for example, has recorded a 25 per cent increase in the amount of glass collected so far this year, with the local authority’s 50 bring banks already exceeding last year’s glass collection of 2,581 tonnes.

“The bring bank on the site of Ennis Swimming Pool has proven to be the most popular of Clare’s public bring banks so far this year, followed by Shannon civic amenity and the bring bank in Clarecastle.”

Ms Foley added: “During Clare Waste Awareness Week we will encourage people to improve their waste management even further through some clear advice and easy-to-follow tips.

“Waste Awareness Week in Clare will help people become more aware of the civic amenities and services available in the county and how best to avail of them, as well as encouraging people to be more conscious of their responsibilities in the fight against waste.”

Launching Clare Waste Awareness Week, the Mayor of Clare, Cllr Mary Howard, said: “I urge everyone to join this virtual event and follow Clare County Council and Greener Clare on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for all the content and highlights associated with Waste Awareness Week. These platforms, along with mywaste.ie, will continue to be a resource for the people of Clare, helping them to stay informed about the county’s waste management plans and our progression in this area, long after this week’s events are over.”

Phillipa King, Regional Waste Coordinator, Southern Regional Waste Management Planning Office, explained that events like Waste Awareness Week play a key role as the region prepares for the next Waste Management Plan.

“The Regional Waste Management Plans efficiently and collectively represent and protect the obligations of the local authority sector under the Waste Management Act. The Regional Waste Management Offices ensure the three headline targets of the plans are met: 1 per cent reduction in the quantity of household waste per annum; a recycling target of 50 per cent for municipal waste; and reduce to 0 per cent direct disposal of residual waste to landfill. To achieve these goals the Regional Waste Management Offices liaise with and co-ordinate the activities of a wide range of stakeholders, including the local authorities and the public, to ensure delivery of the headline targets and to ensure all the objectives and policy actions of the plan are met.”

Clare Waste Awareness Week takes place from 16th to 20th November, 2020. Further information is available on clarecoco.ie.

Further enquiries in relation to events and information relating to Clare Waste Awareness Week can be directed to greenerclare@clarecoco.ie or 065-6846331.

Photo: Eamon Ward Photography.

Page last reviewed: 12/11/20

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