Residents living in an area of Derry which has recently become a hotspot for illegal dumping say those responsible are ‘bringing down’ their community.
The laneways between Tyrconnell Street and Limewood Street in the Bogside area has recently witnessed an upsurge in fly-tipping, with bags of household refuse being indiscriminately deposited close to people’s home.
Similar problems have plagued the Rosemount area for a number of years, which has resulted in the local council successfully prosecuting those behind the dumping.
Residents in the Bogside have now called on the local council to take action to curb the fly-tipping in the area before it gets out of control.
One elderly resident of the area said he had taken to lifting some of the rubbish himself but the sheer volume of waste being dumped in the laneways was now becoming a real concern for people living in both Limewood Street and Tyrconnell Street.
The man, who did not wish to be identified, said he had lived in the area all his life and ‘never seen it as bad as it is now’.
“It’s terrible, I would try and keep it clean but there’s too much of it now and we would like to see it lifted,” he said.
“What’s bad about it is that whoever’s doing this is ruining the whole area, because we get a lot of tourists visiting here from the likes of France and Germany, and what will they think of the place and its people when they see that.”
A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said its officers would now be checking the rubbish so that fines could be issued to those who dumped it.
“All refuse dumped in lanes will be checked for identification so that a fixed penalty notice can be issued,” the spokesperson said.
“The issue of illegal waste in lanes and alleyways is a serious problem for the Council and something the organisation is working hard to alleviate by actively encouraging the public to dispose of excess waste at local civic amenity sites or to avail of the Council’s bulky waste service.
“While Council has no legal responsibility to clear lanes as they are private property, the Council regularly receives complaints and officers work closely with communities to address the issues raised.”
The spokesperson added: “Council works closely with communities and elected members to help us get the message out to residents that they are responsible for their waste and must dispose of it properly.”
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