The Galway City Council will this week collect the "hundreds of bags filled with green cuttings" which have been "left out on green areas in a number of city estates" in recent weeks.
Independent Galway City East councillor Terry O’Flaherty secured a commitment from the council’s chief executive, Brendan McGrath, in response to a motion to this effect she tabled for the recent meeting of the local authority.
However, Cllr O’Flaherty said this would be a one-off action by the council, as it has otherwise stopped collecting such green waste.
Green waste should be into brown bins
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“I am full of admiration for all the people who give up their time to carry out clean-ups in their area and show such pride in their neighbourhood," she said, "but the Council has made it clear it will no longer remove the likes of grass cuttings and branches collected resulting from this work."
In future, green waste should go into brown bins. "There’s a benefit to the environment in doing this," said Cllr O'Flaherty, "as it will reduce the overuse of plastic bags."
She is now appealing to people who have been leaving out this green waste for collection by the local authority to stop doing so from now on. However, City Hall said it is willing to work with residents and community employment schemes on setting up composting facilities on site at a suitable location.
The council is also asking people not to prune back landscaping on public lands as this often caused damage and disease to the plants. Instead, the council can arrange for two days per estate if requested, one in spring and one in autumn, where a mulcher would be brought to the area, and the greenery could then be taken away, or used in the locality in an environmentally friendly way.
