Central Area HQ, 51/53 Sean McDermott Street, Dublin 1 7th February 2013 To the Chairperson and Members

of the Central Area Committee:

With Reference to Report number 1 of the North Inner City Litter Action Group (N.I.C.L.A.G)

Background The Central Area Committee at its meeting held on the 7th of January 2013 agreed to the setting up of the North Inner City Litter Action Group and the following Terms of Reference was agreed: To carry out an examination of the litter issues in the North Inner City, to identify the particular causes/sources of same and to devise and implement actions to bring about a gradual and consistent improvement in the situation. Membership Chair: Brendan Hayden, Senior Executive Officer, Central Area Representatives from Public Domain Unit, Central Area Representatives from Waste Management Section Representative from Community Development Section Representative from Area Housing Staff Representative from Iarnrod Eireann & Waterways Ireland (as required) Administration: Central Area

The necessity for setting up this group was as a result of recent inspections of the area, complaints on the Litter Hotline and through other means from members of the public and also complaints from Public Representatives and the need to be proactive in dealing with the various matters complained of. A recent IBAL Report was also critical of the cleanliness of some areas of the North Inner City and it highlighted a total of 19 streets in the Central Area of which 10 received a Grade C or lower. 6 of the sites surveyed received a Grade D, which is the lowest litter grade in the report. While the contents of the IBAL Report may be correct in their reference to the high level of littering and illegal dumping in parts of the Central Area at a specific time and for a particular period, other descriptive aspects of it could be described as being inconsistent in approach in terms of comparability on a like for like basis with other areas of the country. Therefore, it is considered that if a league table is to be used by IBAL, then it should be compiled for areas that are on a par with each other, population wise, neighbourhood layout wise etc. The establishment of the Group is an acknowledgement that some parts of the Central Area are suffering from indiscriminate littering and illegal dumping of rubbish which is affecting residents and businesses alike and is causing reputational damage to the area and there has undoubtedly been an increase in the number of complaints as a result of what is happening on the ground.

Initial Actions The North Inner City Litter Action Group (N.I.C.L.A.G) has met on 3 occasions in January 2013 to formulate a plan for the Central Area. A pilot area has been agreed, running from the North Wall Quay to Clonliffe Road and from Gardiner Street to the East Wall Road and all streets in between. Twenty to twenty five streets at a time will be selected in the pilot area, which is covered by the North Strand Waste Management Depot and these streets will be profiled and issues of littering and illegal dumping if any will be recorded. While this examination is being carried out the piloted streets will be cleaned and cleared of any rubbish with Waste Management Services continuing to carry out their normal day to day work as usual. Derelict sites or buildings will also be identified. The Waste Management truck which removes untagged bags will be accompanied by a Litter Warden. All bags will be searched and records of fines issued and numbers of bags searched will be reported back to the North Inner City Litter Action Group for the duration of the survey period. The Public Domain Crew, Litter Warden and Waste Management will work on the selected streets for approximately three to four weeks and report on all issues relating to littering and dumping. Streets that are found to be clean will be recorded and reported on. After this period the process will move on to the next set of streets in the area for attention and so on. The selection process of streets will include known litter black spots.

As this process moves on special emphasis will be placed on engaging with local Community Groups and Resident Associations and other organisations and agencies as required in an effort to set up local environmental groups and to support these groups when the process and profiling has been completed in selected areas. Waste Management It is important to acknowledge the hard work of the Waste Management Section and the Public Domain Section in the Central Area; however the Group has to have a different approach to the littering and illegal dumping in the area. There is a planned approach to Waste Management across the City but in this particular area some of the work that the Waste Management Section and the Public Domain Section carry out, by its nature, is often reactionary and responsive, and that is by no means a criticism but a reality. The Group needs to be able to identify where the difficulties are arising, report its conclusions and suggest initiatives and recommendations where possible, over and above current works being carried out by Waste Management/Public Domain Sections. It should not be caught up in the normal day to day issues of littering and illegal dumping otherwise it will be just another mechanism used in order to clean streets which is no different to what is already in existence in terms of practice. It is already recognised that current reactionary actions are not solving the problems and therefore there is a requirement for new ideas and new initiatives to be implemented to complement current efforts to try and resolve and curtail some of the difficulties now being experienced. The Waste Management Section has indicated its full support for this pilot scheme and will offer both manpower and technical knowhow in an effort to seek new ways of dealing with the problems outlined.

Current Issues: As previously advised the N.I.C.L.A.G will be reporting on a monthly basis to the Central Area Committee, and the Group will identify the causes and the sources of the problems. The monthly reports will also outline, inter alia, ways and means of tackling the issues of concern. However it is common knowledge what is happening and where the problems are and listed below are some of these identified items with comments and actions.. It is expected that the list of problems and actions will be added to with each report to the Central Area Committee, with a final and comprehensive report being published in 12 months time. Items for noting Bag collection system only is a huge negative factor in some areas

The area in question (North Inner City) is a city centre location with a high footfall count 7 days a week, resulting in high levels of litter being generated This area has a high level of shops, businesses, and owner occupied residential accommodation and private & public rented accommodation and as such needs a modified approach to Waste Management as and when required Dumping of bags outside business premises, in laneways and gable ends of houses as well as open areas, railway lines and the canal is a common occurrence Dublin City Council has no knowledge as to who (individuals/residents/businesses) are registered with, in relation to the collection of their rubbish although it has the means to gather such information under the Waste Management Act 1996 Prosecution of offenders in the courts can be cumbersome and wholly reliant on an evidence based approach, which is sometimes difficult to compile Individuals, who illegally dump regularly, are unlikely to include any details in bags that may identify them. Apparent lack of Environmental Education Programmes for school children is a factor There is a legal onus on Dublin City Council to keep streets clean and some individuals will dump illegally and are very aware that eventually the Council will clean up any created mess The attitude of some Individuals in not being willing to pay their charges for waste management is the single biggest factor in the illegal dumping issue Abolishing the waiver system is likely to add to instances of illegal dumping Responsibility of landlords for the actions of their tenants needs to be addressed in some way Payment for green bags may have a negative impact going forward and this needs to be monitored

Initial Recommendations Listed below are a number of initial recommendations in an effort to move the process on, and it is acknowledged that some of these may be deemed to be too inspirational or are being carried out already. However some of the recommendations will require a change or strengthening of the Law relating to

litter and illegal dumping, or a more proactive approach and extra resources in implementing and ensuring proposed actions are carried out in full. It is expected that these recommendations will be increased and expanded on over the period of this pilot process. More use of CCTV and other oversight methods in areas renowned as litter black spots is required as is more use of technical support from the Waste Management Section. More community involvement and encouragement and support for the setting up of environmental groups is necessary together with the organisation of more community cleanup weeks/weekends. An emphasis on educational programmes in relation to littering and dumping of rubbish and the effects on peoples health and the environment are needed- Apart from engaging directly with the Community on this issue, there is also a case to be made that a more comprehensive and targeted approach in educating school children should take place. It might be simplistic, however school children do bring the message home to their parents, and this is what is needed. Encouragement of private owners and dwellers to maintain their premises particularly those with basement accommodation where littering can be a problem , is required More encouragement for and targeting of recycling is needed Encouragement of greater links and communication between the Waste Disposal Companies and the Local Authority is required More targeting of businesses to encourage them to keep footpaths around their premises clean and tidy is necessary More Media campaigns highlighting the problems, the penalties and the supports for communities interested in keeping their areas and streets clean and tidy are required - There is a need to look at Dublin City Councils Media Strategy and information, the dos and the donts and a more concerted effort made to get the message out, that illegal dumping is wrong, is damaging communities and businesses and the Citys reputation and is bad for tourism, and most importantly peoples health. Perhaps the assistance of well known sporting figures could be considered in any media campaign Encouragement of Waste Disposal Companies to enter into more dialogue with its customers in order to find out what the issues are and to deal with them, where appropriate, is essential. Waste operators need to be encouraged to provide a bin (as distinct from a bag) collection service where feasible and Bye-Laws will be of assistance in this regard Naming and shaming of offenders needs to be revisited.

Identification of the owners of neglected multi let properties needs to be prioritised. A programme of street washing outside of and apart from the main thoroughfares is required Stiffer penalties for illegal dumping (Increased fines) are required Location & siting of litter bins needs to have a criteria driven as distinct from a request driven approach Easier access to the courts and an acknowledgement that the issue of littering and illegal dumping are very serious and must be dealt with in a stronger manner is needed The current Litter Management Plan needs to be examined in the context of issues emerging from the North Inner City Litter Action Group Report, with particular reference to the frequency of cleaning of certain streets

A map of the area covered by the North Strand Waste Management Depot is attached for your information as well as a list of the first 25 streets which are the streets to be profiled and reported on, in the first instance as part of this pilot project. The March report to the Committee will outline the condition of each of the streets over a period of 3 to 4 weeks and recommendations around what actions are required to keep these streets in a reasonably clean and tidy condition. Brendan Hayden Senior Executive Officer
Property type (PR IVATE /DCC/Agency) Private/DCC/ Agency DCC Housing Private/Agency houses and apartments/flat Greyhoun d collection day Weds Weds Weds Ba g/ Bin bot h bot h bot h Litter Managem ent Plan Daily Daily Daily

STREET Buckingh am Street Lwr, D.1 Empress Place, D.1 Killarney Street, D.1

Other litter generators Youth Club

Litter food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling dumped bags / dog fouling

Other contributory issues Car Parking

Iba l Yes

complex Killarney Avenue, D.1 Hewardin e Terrace, D.1 Frankfort Cottages, D.1 Bella Street, D.1 Bella Avenue, D.1 Bella Place, D.1 Terrace Place, D.1 Summerh ill Place, D.1 Rutland Court, D.1 Buckingh am Street Upp, D.1 Summerh ill, D.1 Summerh ill Parade, D.1 Private - houses Weds Private - houses dumped bags / dog fouling Private - houses dumped bags / dog fouling Private - houses dumped bags / dog fouling Private - houses dumped bags / dog fouling Private - houses dumped bags / dog fouling Private - houses DCC Housing duplex DCC Housing duplex DCC/Private/Ag ency - houses and aprtments/flats DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat s DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling Retail Units/Off Licence Retail Units/Off Licence/Takeaways Retail Units/Off Licence/Takeaways/P ubs food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling Derelict properties Weds Weds Weds bot h bot h bot h bot h bot h bot h Weekly Weekly Weekly Weds bot h Weekly Weds bot h Weekly Derelict properties Weds bot h Weekly Weds bot h Weekly Weds bot h bot h Daily

Car Parking

Yes

Weds

Daily

Yes Yes

Weds Thurs

Daily Daily

s Catherine Court Off Royal C Charlevill e Mall, D.1 North William St, D.1 North Great Clarence St, D.1 North Strand Road, D.1 Portland Row, D.1 Portland Close, D.1 Dunne Street, D.1 Baileys Row, D.1 Aldborou gh Court, D.1 Amiens Street, D.1 Private Private - houses and flats dog fouling DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat s DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat s DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat s DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat s DCC Housing DCC/Private houses and apartments/flat s Private DCC - no residential Private Apartments/Flat s Retail Units/Off Licence/Takeaways/P ubs food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling Retail Units/Off Licence/Takeaways/P ubs Retail Units/Off Licence/Pub food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling Thurs food and packaging litter / dumped bags / dog fouling

Thurs

bot h bot h bot h bot h bot h bot h bot h bot h N/A N/A bot h Daily Weekly

Thurs

Weekly

Yes

Thurs

Weekly

Thurs

Daily

Yes

Weds Weds

Weekly Weekly

Weds N/A Dereliction / Graffiti Yes N/A Thurs

Weekly