Galway City Council is clamping down on illegal dumping by conducting a series of random spot-checks of commercial vehicles throughout the city.
In the first campaign of its type in the city, council staff assisted by gardaí will carry out checks on commercial vehicles that may be carrying waste for the purposes of illegal dumping.
Under the Waste Management Act, the council is legally entitled to search vehicles with the assistance of gardaí.
Owners of vehicles found to be carrying waste for illegal dumping could face District Court proceedings, a significant fine and the impounding of their vans.
Council director of services Tom Connell stressed the importance of clamping down on the practice of illegal dumping.
"The importance of complying with the provision of waste management legislation must be emphasised and it is the duty of Galway council to prevent illegal dumping of waste in the city," he said.
Mr Connell explained that a special permit must be obtained to collect household waste.
These permits can be obtained at a small cost from Mayo County Council. He pointed out that Galway City Council operated a waste collection service for electrical and bulky goods for a minimal fee.
Details of this service can be obtained by telephoning 091-536400.
The new campaign will target vehicles, particularly vans, that could be transporting waste illegally, in an effort to combat dumping in unauthorised places by people without permits.
Although nobody has been caught transporting waste illegally yet, a council spokeswoman pointed out that the campaign was at an early stage.
The random checkpoints will be in operation within the city and on all the major approach roads to the end of the year. The campaign is targeting illegal dumping of all types of waste, not just bulky goods.
