Shock as tyres dumped at roadside

Shock as tyres dumped at roadside

13 January 2021

PEOPLE responsible for dumping a consignment of tyres on a busy main road outside Ballynahinch have been condemned by a local politician.

Around 100 dumped tyres were recently discovered at the side of the Belfast Road outside the town, with those involved severely criticised by Rowallane councillor Terry Andrews.

He said that sadly the issue of illegal dumping in the Newry, Mourne and Down Council area was nothing new and urged anyone with information in relation to the incident to contact local authority officials or the PSNI.

In December 2019, around 200 old car tyres were dumped at Saintfield Livestock Mart with the incident sparking local outrage and, at one stage, threatening an annual charity event which eventually went ahead. 

There have also been a number of other reported tyre dumping incidents in the Saintfield area over recent years.

Cllr Andrews said there was “simply no excuse” for any kind of illegal dumping and hoped that those who engage in such behaviour will be identified and pursued through the courts.

He said such behaviour was not acceptable and was concerned that it continues to happen across the district.

Cllr Andrews said fly-tipping and illegal dumping blights the area, branding the behaviour of those responsible as “completely unacceptable and displaying a blatant disregard for the local area.”

He said it is also particularly difficult to understand what is in the minds of those who point blankly refuse to use any of the district’s civic amenity sites or dispose of their waste in another legal manner.

Cllr Andrews said while the overwhelming majority of people across the district respect the area where they live and have a great pride in it, there is clearly a hardcore who do not.

“Those who use the countryside as an open air dump should know better,” he declared.

“Those who deliberately select rural areas to dump waste, including old tyres, need to feel the full force of the law and the courts have a duty to send out a signal that this despicable behaviour will not be tolerated. Regardless of the material that is being dumped, this is a criminal act and harms the environment.”

He said he was disappointed to learn of the dumped tyres at the Belfast Road outside Ballynahinch and hopes that those responsible can be identified and prosecuted.

He said the countryside in particular must be respected and not used as an open air dump as is worryingly the case currently. 

“What is even more bizarre about the nature of this sort of behaviour is that more often than not, those who dump waste illegally end up paying for its removal through their rates,” he continued.

“Given that the district has three civic amenity sites and Newry, Mourne and Down Council offers a bulky waste collection service from outside people’s front doors, there is no excuse for illegal dumping. There are many ways for people to dispose of their waste legally and safely.”

Cllr Andrews said the bottom line was that waste should not be dumped along isolated country roads, resulting in a blot on the landscape, insisting that all waste must be disposed of properly.

“It would appear that there is a hardcore of people who are determined to break the law and they must be made to realise the error of their ways.

“We are thankful that the overwhelming majority of people across the district respect the area where they live and have a great pride in it. Sadly, we appear to have a hardcore who do not.”

Cllr Andrews appealed to anyone who sees others dumping illegally to immediately report the matter to the authorities so the culprits can be prosecuted for what he described as an “environmental crime”.

He added: “What happened at the Belfast Road outside Ballynahinch was wrong and this behaviour must stop.”