Fine Gael town councillor and member of the Castlebar Tidy Towns committee Ger Deere has called on businesses that provide catalogues to do so by the request of consumers. This comes as a result of an un-named business in the Castlebar Quarter shopping district leaving catalogues outside for customers to pick up, but which subsequently have been discarded outside neighbouring businesses.
As the law stands, the Litter Pollution Act 1997 requires businesses to maintain the footpaths outside their own buildings by ensuring they are litter free. However, a number of businesses in the Castlebar Quarter area have complained to Cllr Deere about the catalogues being left outside by a particular business. This has caused litter problems where quantities of the catalogues have been taken and then vandalised, turning the area into an eyesore that has to be cleaned up by neighbouring businesses.
“It is completely unfair on nearby shops who have to clean up the mess caused by another business,” Cllr Deere said. “I appreciate that all businesses in the area are clearing the litter outside their own shops but much of this is resulting from catalogues being made too easily available, which kids are then tearing up.”
According to Cllr Deere this situation escalates late in the evening where catalogues are placed outside the front of one particular shop and then a number of them are taken and vandalised.
“A simple solution is to provide the catalogues by request for consumers or move them to a supervised area of the shop to discourage similar actions taking place again in the future. Through my involvement in the Tidy Towns, I am well aware that straightforward solutions usually offer the best outcome.”
