Enniscorthy Councillor Calls for a Sofa and Paint Amnesty to Tackle Fly-Tipping

Cllr Barbara Ann Murphy is calling for a new initiative to combat the illegal dumping of large items like sofas and smaller items like left over paint. The councillor who has been involved in organizing successful mattress clean-up events in the past, believes that a dedicated sofa and paint amnesty could significantly reduce the amount of waste dumped along rural roads. Speaking to South East Radio News Cllr Murphy said that many sofas and armchairs are being left on roadsides, creating eyesores and contributing to the mounting waste problem in the countryside. The cost of removing these items is high, with the council having to send out special teams to clean up the mess. By providing designated collection points where people could drop off bulky waste items, the amnesty would offer a free and responsible disposal solution, rather than allowing people to pay unscrupulous waste collectors to dump their items illegally. Paint waste also poses a problem, with expired cans often being stored in garages and sheds only to eventually go off and emit foul odors. The amnesty would also allow for the safe disposal of such waste preventing it from ending up in the wrong places. Through this proposed initiative, which would allow for easier disposal and recycling of large items, Murphy hopes to tackle the ongoing issue of fly-tipping and encourage responsible waste management in the area. With over 200 items collected during previous mattress clean-ups the success of similar programs suggests that this new amnesty could be an effective solution.