- News Archives
19/12/2008 -
Make this a Green 2009
This article will provide you with some useful tips and information about how you can help improve your environment.
Recycling Tips
Left with awkward packaging after Christmas try our recycling centres for a wider range of recycling options.
Christmas trees can be brought to any of the two recycling centres located at Deep Water Quay, Sligo Town or the Tubbercurry Recycling Centre, (beside Fire Station) or the Ballisodare Composting Facility, Youngs Quarry, Ballisodare during the month of January 2009. (Standard charges apply).
To mark the first Christmas at the Ballisodare Composting Facility for every Christmas tree that is brought for composting, householders will receive a free holly tree that can be planted in the garden.
If you have excess recyclables that don’t fit in your recycling bin or bag- use your local bring bank or recycling centre.
Top 10 Green New Years Resolutions
- Find your nearest recycling centre.
- Get a compost bin and start a new habit.
- Take responsibility for your cigarette litter.
- Change to rechargeable batteries
- Swap your light bulbs to energy saver bulbs.
- Don’t leave electrical appliances on stand-by – SWITCH OFF!
- Bring reusable shopping bags for all shopping trips.
- Change to a reusable lunch box and flask – avoid disposable packaging.
- Take all your old clothing to a charity shop or recycling centre.
- Walk or cycle to work and schools instead of taking the car – great for you and your environment.
News Flash!
From September 2008, householders can recycle their used batteries free of charge, either at retail outlets selling equivalent batteries, or other authorised collection points, including our recycling centres, council offices and schools. Retail outlets that sell batteries will be required to take waste batteries even where the person depositing the waste batteries doesn’t purchase a new battery. Producers of batteries are now responsible for the financing of the collection, treatment and recycling and environmentally sound disposal of waste batteries.
Local Recycling Centres
Location and Christmas Opening Hours
Greenstar Recycling Depot
Deep Water Quay, Sligo
Telephone: 071-9143037
24th – 27th December Closed
29th – 31st December 9 am to 3 pm
From Friday 2nd January, 2009
Monday to Friday 9 am to 5pm
Saturday 9am to 12.30pm 24th – 27th December Closed
Tubbercurry Recycling Centre
(beside Fire Station),
Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo
Telephone: 071-9186869
From Friday 2nd January, 2009
Thursday and Friday 10 am to 5pm
Saturday 10 am to 4pm
The following charges apply for household recycling:
€3 for car/van with trailer
Free recycling for Glass and Can Banks and Electrical Goods.
For more details and a list of bring banks please contact the Environment Services Section, Sligo County Council at 071-9111908 or view the web-site at www.sligococo.ie.
Home Composting
Compost bins are available to purchase from Council Offices located at:
- County Hall, Riverside, Sligo
- Ballymote Area Office, The Courthouse, Ballymote, Sligo
- Teach Laighne, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo
- Enniscrone Area Office, Enniscrone Business Park, Sligo.
If you would like to host a composting workshop in your local area please contact the Environment Awareness Officer, Sligo County Council. Workshops are facilitated by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council and provide excellent ideas to reduce waste and learn about home composting.
All the materials that can be recycled at Sligo Recycling Centres:
Greenstar Recycling Centre Tubbercurry Recycling Centre
- Christmas Trees
- Christmas Cards
- Wrapping Paper
- Household Batteries
- Car Batteries
- Glass
- Aluminium drink cans and steel cans
- Plastic bottles
- Newspapers and Magazines
- Cardboard
- Tetra-pak cartons
- Clothing, textiles and footwear
- Electrical and electronic goods
- Car batteries
- Christmas Trees
- Christmas Cards
- Wrapping Paper
- Household Batteries
- Car Batteries
- Glass
- Aluminium drink cans and steel cans
- Plastic Bottles
- Newspaper and Magazines
- Cardboard
- Tetra-pak Cartons
- Clothing, textiles and footwear
- Electrical and electronic goods
- Car Batteries
- Mixed Paper (junk mail, envelopes, phonebooks) No Wallpaper
- Plastic Packaging – fertiliser bags, nut bags, food wrappings (No yoghurt pots or butter tubs)
- Mobile phones and chargers
- Timber (untreated only)
- Household Gas cylinders, (Calor/Flogas)
- Fluorescent light bulbs
- Scrap metal
- Car oil
- Cooking oil
- Garden waste
- C&D Rubble (no plaster-board) crushed or broken blocks/brick/ceramics/tiles
Know your responsibilities – Waste Management
Ballisodare Green Waste Facility
Bring your Christmas Tree for recycling at the newly opened Ballisodare Composting Facility located at Youngs Quarry, Ballisodare. The composting facility accepts green waste only e.g. hedge trimmings, trees, bushes, leaf litter, shrubs, grass clippings etc.
All green wastes are shredded and stored on site in long rows (windrows) to accelerate decomposition of the materials to generate compost.
The opening times of the facility are Monday – Friday 10 am to 4pm (closed 1pm-2pm for lunch) and Saturday10am to 2pm.
This Christmas receive a free holly tree for every Christmas tree that is recycled.
Waste Enforcement
The Waste Enforcement Section continues the fight against unscrupulous and unauthorised waste offenders who continue to dump and pollute our countryside. In 2008 they successfully prosecuted persons for unauthorised waste activities. As part of their enforcement actions they have carried out several road check points with the help of the Gardai and continue to carry out aerial surveys of the County. This is in addition to the ongoing site investigations and inspections being carried out on a continuing basis. We would like to thank the general public for their vigilance and ask for your continued co-operation in reporting unauthorised waste activities. For complaints and enquiries about waste management issues please contact the Environment Section at 071-9111906 or 071 9111915.
Waste: Your Responsibilities
There is a responsibility on all persons to ensure that they give their waste (clothes, bulky items, domestic waste etc) to a person who has a valid waste collection permit to collect the type of waste being disposed of. It is an offence under the waste management act to give your waste to a person who does not have a suitable waste collection permit. For a list of valid waste collection permit holders see www.connaughtwaste.ie
Old Vehicles – New Arrangements
If your vehicle (car or van) is coming to the end of its life you need to make arrangements to have it properly disposed of. The Waste Management End- of –Life Vehicle Regulations place new responsibilities on the owners of all registered car owners.
As the registered owner, you must make appropriate arrangements for your end of life vehicle – otherwise you may face prosecution under Waste Management Legislation.
You have a duty of care to ensure that your End of Life Vehicle is dismantled at an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). A permitted waste collector must be used to transport the vehicle to an ATF or if in a roadworthy condition, you may drive your vehicle to the ATF. Please contact the waste enforcement section who will provide a list of waste collectors and facilities who are permitted to accept our end of life vehicle.
Free Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
You can recycle your old household electrical and electronic goods free of charge, in the following ways:
To a Retailer
Retailers are required by law to take back waste electrical goods and electronic equipment form you free of charge, when you purchase a new appliance. You can return your old appliance, either at the point of sale or within a maximum of 15 days of the date of sale, provided you can provide proof of purchase. The appliance you are returning must be of a similar tyre or have performed the same function as the new item purchased e.g. retailers are not obliged to accept a fridge from you when you have purchased a toaster.
To a Recycling Centre
Your local recycling centre accepts household WEEE free of charge for recycling from members of the public. So if you have any unwanted items of WEEE stored in your house or garage, bring them free of charge to your nearest recycling centre. A number of WEEE collections will be organised in Grange, Enniscrone and Ballymote during 2009.
Litter Focus
Keep County Sligo clean and green!
Littering is illegal, unsightly and unhygienic.
Don’t litter and don’t tolerate those who do.
Car Litter
Remember throwing cigarette butts or other litter from your car is an offence and you could be fined €150. Many people have already been caught for this type of littering – we’re watching you! If you would like to report car littering please call the litter line to complete an incident form with details of the date, time, location and vehicle registration number.
Your Dog … Your Mess!
Failure to clean up after your dog is an offence under the Litter Pollution Act and subject to an on-the-spot fine of €150 (up to a maximum fine of €3,000 in court for each offence).
Clean up after your dog
- Prevent disease
- Avoid litter fines
- Keep County Sligo clean
Be a responsible dog owner – carry a pooper scooper.
Available at Sligo County Council Offices while stocks last.
Seasons Greetings to one and all!
The Environment Section would like to wish you all a happy, peaceful and waste free Christmas.