The Environment Section has responsibility for over 500 statutory functions, which are contained within over 100 pieces of legislation. The key areas dealt with include:

• Waste Management
• Water Quality & Pollution Control
• Education & Awareness
• Veterinary Services
• Burial Grounds

 

Waste Management

Dunmore Landfill
The Council continues to operate the County's only landfill at Dunmore. Disposal of waste is now taking place in the final cell, Cell 14. Rehabilitation works are substantially complete on Cells 1 to 12. The landfill will close in September 2009 and post closure uses of the facility are being examined. The Civic Amenity Site will continue to operate post landfill closure and the Council will continue to manage the closed landfill as required under the EPA Waste Licence.

 

Waste Collection Permits
Kilkenny County Council is the issuing authority for Waste Collection Permits for the South East Region, comprising Carlow County Council, Kilkenny County Council, South Tipperary County Council, Waterford City Council, Waterford County Council and Wexford County Council. A total of 450 applications have been granted to the end of 2008 with 49 applications granted during 2008. Reviews of existing waste collection permits are also ongoing.

The Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations, 2007 and the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations, 2008 were implemented on the 1st June, 2008. A multi-regional waste collection permit system has been established whereby the permit holder may now apply to the nominated authority where the principal waste collection activity is to be carried out  and also the permit holder may decide to have some or all of any existing waste collection permits in the various regions reviewed or make an application for a permit for the collection of waste in additional regions.

 

Recycling
The Section operates forty bring centres in the county. In 2008 a new cleaning contract to maintain the bring centres around the county was implemented and has greatly improved the area surrounding the bring centres. The 'Adopt a Bottle Bank' Scheme continued with 12 communities adopting their own local bring centres.

Six Chemcar locations were provided for the free collection of hazardous domestic waste in 2008.

 

Enforcement
Over 1300 non-routine inspections were carried out by environmental enforcement officers in 2008 as a result of complaints from the public and elected representatives. Illegal dumping and abandoned vehicles account for over 50% of complaints received. The table below illustrates the breakdown of environmental complaints received.

Over 500 routine inspections were carried out on waste permitted facilities, bring centres, garages, commercial premises WEEE outlets etc.

In 2008 there were 117 Litter Fines issued under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 - 2003. In addition there were 13 successful court prosecutions, out of 13 cases taken, under the Litter Acts in 2008.

Under the Waste Management Acts 1996 - 2008, 105 statutory notices issued in 2008. 10 cases proceeded to court with 5 successfully prosecuted and an additional 5 awaiting court dates or ongoing in the courts.

2008 also saw the Council continue it's covert camera observations of known litter blackspots. The information garnered has assisted in the successful prosecution of some Litter Act cases.

 

Litter Management
The Litter Management Plan was formally adopted after a period of public consultation in autumn 2008. The plan covers the period 2008 - 2011. After the adoption of the plan a number of meetings were undertaken by the environmental awareness officer with interest groups to raise awareness of the plans objectives.

 

Joint Waste Management Plan (JWMP) for South East Region, 2006 - 2011
Progress on the implementation of the provisions of the JWMP included the development of a long term contract for the provision of integrated waste management works and services for the South East Region. The contract is expected to comprise the management of 195,000 tonnes of municipal waste per year and a public notice is now anticipated for early 2009 to advance to the pre-qualification/expressions of interest in this PPP process.

Kilkenny County Council also published draft waste collection bye-laws providing for the introduction of a three bin refuse collection service throughout all urban centres in the County with a population in excess of 1000.

 

Water Quality & Pollution Control

River Basin Management
A booklet "Water Matters" was published in June 2007. This describes the significant water management issues (SWMI) that will face the region in developing a Plan. A series of public meetings were held in November to discuss the issues and in particular to determine if any significant issues had been over-looked. Thereafter the Draft River Basin Management Plan was published which will continue on public display until June 2009.

 

Enforcement
The Council monitors 23 discharge licences to waters and 53 discharge licences to sewers. There were over 90 inspections of discharge licensed premises in 2007.

 

Farm Surveys
It is estimated that there are about 3,000 farms in Kilkenny. Each year the Council reviews the most recent EPA water quality report and selects priority catchments for investigation. During 2008 in excess of 100 farms were surveyed, 70 along the River Breagagh, 25 along the source protection area for Paulstown and approximately 30 surveys were completed as a result of environmental complaints received. In addition all notices issued to land owners during 2007 were followed.

In addition to the above, in the interests of source protection of public water supplies and consistent with the provisions of the Nitrates Regulations, Kilkenny County Council has written to all landowners whose lands adjoin abstraction points for public water supplies reminding landowners of their obligations to observe buffer zones with respect to the application of organic fertilisers. The Council's survey team also monitor these buffer zones as part of our Water Quality Programme of Works.

In 2008 Strategic Policy Committee 3 developed a good practice guidance leaflet for the maintenance of on-site waste water treatment systems. The booklet will be circulated to all relevant households in the County.

 

 

Education and Awareness

In 2008, the Environment Section co-ordinated activities county-wide for National Recycling Week, National Spring Clean, Energy Awareness Week and Car Free Day.

The Environment Section administered a number of grant schemes including; Anti-Litter Awareness Grants, Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund Grants and the 'Adopt a Bottle Bank' Scheme.

 

Farm Environmental Awards
The 2008 winner of Kilkenny County Council's Farm Environmental Award was Mr. Tom Cody of Kilbraghan, Kilmanagh.
The competition is judged under the following four headings:

• General farm tidiness
• Waste management on the farm
• Water management on the farm
• Other on farm environmental projects

The Council intends to revamp this scheme in 2009 to provide for greater participation.

 

Public Awareness at Agricultural Shows

In 2008 the Environment Section displayed a stand at both the annual Piltown Show and the National Ploughing Championship which was held in Cuffesgrange. There was great interest at both events with staff from the Environment Section giving advice to members of the public on composting, waste minimisation etc.

Environment Section Staff at the Piltown Show

 

Green Schools Programme
The Green Flag is the most prestigious award that a school can achieve and is given to schools that take action to eliminate litter and reduce waste. Once the award has been achieved the schools then move on to address other issues such as energy, water and transport.

An information evening was hosted by Kilkenny County Council in November to allow teachers to learn more about the programme and to allow teachers to speak about their experiences in the programme. The programme is strong in Kilkenny with 68% of all primary schools registered and 80% of all secondary schools participating in the programme. The county now has a total number of 25 Schools with a Green Flag.

The Environment Section co-funded the "Waste Construction Workshop" in 2008. The show visited over 15 schools in the county teaching the pupils about the importance of waste minimisation and recycling. This workshop will continue to run in 2009.

Slieverue NS receiving their 4th green flag & their Green Home Flag which
was presented to them by An Taisce under the Green Homes Programme in May 2008

 

Climate Change Tips and Facts
Climate Change Tips and Facts was launched in September 2008. This is a joint initiative between Kilkenny & Carlow County Councils in conjunction with KCLR96FM. Four environmental tips are aired daily to tell people easy actions they can incorporate into their daily life to combat climate change. As part of this campaign 'Eco Chat' is aired every fortnight where the Environmental Awareness Officers from both Councils have an opportunity to discuss different environmental initiatives.

John Purcell (CEO of KCLR96FM) flying the flags behind Cllr. Denis Foley (Carlow Cathaoirleach)
and Cllr. Tomás Breathnach (Kilkenny Cathaoirleach) on the launch of the Climate Change Campaign

 

Gum Litter Taskforce
Kilkenny County Council participated in the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) in 2008. The GLT is a national campaign to raise awareness of gum litter and promote proper gum disposal behaviour.

A street campaign was organised in July in the city and free merchandise was given out to passing pedestrians. The street competition proved popular with teenagers outside City Hall were a 1m² area of pavement was covered and people were asked to guess how many pieces of gum were on the pavement. The closest guess to the actual number received an iPod nano.

 

Mobility Week 2008

The environment section of Kilkenny County Council supported Mobility Week with a family day of fun on High Street on the 29th of September 2008 to promote sustainable transport.

 

 

 

Veterinary Services

The Veterinary Service fulfils the food safety service contract between the FSAI and Kilkenny County Council. The Veterinary Public Health and animal welfare functions include providing official controls/ regulation of slaughterhouses and small meat processing plants. Others include attendance of South East Regional Zoonoses Committee meetings, participation in multidisciplinary Disease Outbreak Control Teams where appropriate, response to food incidents e.g. Pork Dioxin Incident, inspection of liquid milk producers etc.

In 2008 the Veterinary Officer was the Chair of the South East Regional Zoonoses Committee. Slaughterhouses under the service's supervision in 2008, slaughtered 3,728 Cattle, 18,686 Sheep and 1,037 Pigs. These slaughterhouses are low to medium throughput slaughterhouses which slaughter animals from their local area, and sell the meat to local people. They provide employment to people in the surrounding areas. Official controls provide that each animal slaughtered for human consumption requires an ante mortem inspection and post mortem inspection etc.

 

The Service is involved in the veterinary and animal welfare issues in the Control of Horses and Control of Dogs . The Control of Horses Enforcement Team licensed 30 horses in 2008. In 2008, there were 7,383 individual dogs licensed and 35 Group Dog Licences were issued, a substantial advancement in this particular licensing area. Dog licensing is a team collaboration between the Dog Warden Service (ISPCA) and  staff in the Environment.

Carlow / Kilkenny Dog Shelter

 

Burial Grounds

 

Kilkenny County Council has 14 open and active Burial Grounds across the County with each having a Caretaker in place to manage the record keeping.
The main features for 2008 were as follows:

• New burial ground maps are being developed and will be distributed to the Caretakers on completion. The old maps will be handed over to the County Library.
• A full audit of Burial Grounds will commence in 2009. This will advise on remaining capacity.

Clashacrow Church Yard