Kilkenny County Council Highlights Impact of Illegal Dumping on Nature and Biodiversity
Kilkenny County Council’s Environment Department is continuing its anti-dumping campaign with a renewed focus on the impact of illegal dumping on nature and biodiversity across the city and county.
Under the campaign theme “It’s More Than Just Rubbish”, the Council is calling on residents, businesses, and visitors to recognise that discarded waste is not just an eyesore, it is causing real and lasting damage to Kilkenny’s natural environment.
From the River Nore and River Barrow corridors to rural hedgerows, farmland, woodlands and urban green spaces, Kilkenny is home to a rich and diverse natural environment. Illegal dumping and littering pollute our soil and waterways, damages our habitats for birds, pollinators and wildlife, introduce harmful materials and microplastics into ecosystems and fundamentally, undermines the ongoing work of communities and Tidy Towns groups.
Waste that is illegally discarded can remain in the environment for years, continuing to harm biodiversity long after it is dumped.
A significant and growing issue across Kilkenny is rubbish being discarded on roadsides and verges by passing motorists.
Items such as takeaway packaging, drink containers and cigarette butts are frequently thrown from vehicles onto both busy routes and quiet rural roads. This type of littering creates continuous litter build-up along roadsides and is easily blown into hedgerows, fields and waterways. It poses a risk to livestock and wildlife not to mention; it contributes to the spread of pollution across wider areas. What may seem like a small, momentary action has a lasting environmental impact.
Even a single discarded item can have serious consequences. For example, a plastic drinks bottle or can left on a roadside verge can trap small mammals such as hedgehogs as they try to access food residue. They break down over time into microplastics, contaminating soil and plant life and can be ingested by wildlife or livestock, leading to injury or death. They can also leach harmful substances into surrounding habitats. Similarly, items like plastic bags can become entangled in hedgerows, affecting bird nesting and damaging plant growth.
Executive Engineer in the Environment Department, Kilkenny County Council, Edel Brett stated: “Illegal dumping and roadside littering are having a real impact on Kilkenny’s environment. It places a significant burden on the natural environment, on council resources required for clean-up operations and on the taxpayer, who ultimately bears the cost!”
Environmental Awareness Officer (EAO) in Kilkenny County Council, Mags Whelan added: “We are asking people to think beyond the moment. That piece of rubbish thrown from a car window or left in a rural area can harm wildlife and damage habitats for years to come. This is not just about appearance, it’s about protecting our biodiversity, our waterways and our countryside.”
Kilkenny County Council will continue to work with communities, landowners and voluntary groups to protect the county’s natural heritage.
Report Illegal Dumping or Littering.
Phone: 056 779 4470
Email: environment@kilkennycoco.ie
Online: www.kilkennycoco.ie
All reports are treated in confidence.
It’s more than just rubbish, it’s our environment, our biodiversity and our responsibility.
