Annual Budget 2009 - Roscommon County Council

Division E | Environmental Services
E
Environmental Services
E01 Maintenance, Operation and Aftercare of Landfill
This budget provides for the cost of maintaining Ballaghaderreen Landfill. The filling of Cell 7 has been completed
and, as required under the terms of our licence, provision has been made for the cost of a permanent capping of
this cell and the installation of a permanent landfill gas management system. I have also made provision for the
payment of loan charges in respect of the loan approved for the landfill in 2009. This figure also includes the cost
of environmental monitoring of Ballaghaderreen Landfill and all other closed landfill sites in the County.
As of 1 July 2008, the landfill levy rate introduced under the Waste Management (Landfill Levy) Regulations 2002
is €20 per tonne for each tonne of waste disposed of at authorised landfill facilities. The landfill levy payable to the
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and is also included in this figure.
E02 Maintenance and Operation of Recovery and Recycling
Facilities
There are currently three Recycling Centres being operated in the county at Roscommon, Ballaghaderreen and
Boyle. Construction on the additional facility at Castlerea commenced in 2008 and is due to be completed in April
2009. The cost of operating the facilities in 2009 is estimated at €1,163,400, with an amount of €129,700 allocated
to meet a proportion of the overheads identified within appendix 1. I have estimated an income of €150,000 in
2009, based on the current level of usage of the existing facilities and a per user charge of just €2.
There are 39 bring banks located in the county in addition to the 3 Civic Amenity Sites. Mobile CCTV cameras are
now in operation and these are located at various bring banks in an effort to eliminate indiscriminate dumping. Fines
have issued and have been paid by offenders captured on camera and cases referred to our solicitor for
prosecution. The sum of €108,400 has been provided in the budget for the management and servicing of the bring
banks, regular monitoring and clean- up of the sites.
E05 Litter Management
The Environment Section will continue to engage with local community groups and assist them in maintaining and
improving the image of the towns and villages in the County. €77,000 has been included under litter activities to
cover the cost of the litter wardens and to monitor areas of illegal dumping in the County.
Environmental Awareness will also be raised through the annual Tidy Estates, Tidy Burial Grounds, and Tidy
Schools competitions. The schools will also be invited to participate in various poster and painting competitions.
Money is received each year under the Environmental Partnership Fund and grants are available to promote
environmental education and awareness through this fund.
It is proposed that the Green Schools Programme will continue in 2009. By the end of this year, eight of the nine
Secondary Schools in the county will be registered on the Green School Programme. We expect 80% of National
Schools in the county to be registered by the end of 2009. Fifty flags have been awarded.
E07 Waste Regulations, Monitoring and Enforcement
The budget for the enforcement of the waste legislation and environmental education and awareness, includes
Roscommon’s contribution to the Regional Waste Co-ordinator’s Office. The Enforcement Team not only respond
to reports of illegal activities in the area of waste management but play a key role in the enforcement of a broad
range of waste regulations. Funding has been secured from the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Local
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Roscommon County Council | Comhairle Chontae Ros Comain | Adopted Budget 2009 | For year ended 31st December 2009