Pizza Box Bins Requested for Carrigaline Municipal District

Writes Leo McMahon

A call by Cllr Una McCarthy (FG) on Cork County Council to install pizza box bins in Carrigaline Municipal District (MD) was unanimously supported at the recent meeting of the MD.

Such bins had been successfully installed in the city and other areas, she stated. There had been an increase of fast food outlets in Carrigaline and across the MD.

Often, pizza boxes were thrown on the ground because people wouldn’t take the time to tear these up and put into a bin.  ‘There are takeaway bins in Passage West that are the same size as regular bins. I am asking for a dedicated bin for restaurant waste that accommodates pizza boxes here and across the MD’, Cllr McCarthy added.

In support, Cllr Audrey Buckley (FF) said she raised the issue four years ago but was told no. However, local businesses in her locality did have bins that worked well and staff also went out to pick up litter after closing.

A new pizza box bin next to a solar litter bin which has proved very successful in reducing street litter at the junction of Oliver Plunkett Street and Grand Parade, Cork

Cllr Eoghan Fahy (SF) said it was a good motion and felt that businesses should come on board regarding provision of suitable bins if these became available. Acting senior executive engineer Alan Cogan felt that businesses should sponsor such bins adding that there were planning regulations requiring them to ensure a place was tidy for a certain distance from their premises.

In his report, Mr Cogan said it was envisaged that the roll out of Carrigaline Transportation and Public Realm Enhancement Plan (TPREP) would include additional street furniture and her suggestion could be included for incorporation into these works. He undertook to forward the request to the TPREP team. Cllr McCarthy welcomed this.

Senior executive officer Maurice Murphy emphasised that the ‘The Polluter Pay’ principle was still very much the case because if the council had to solve all litter problems, there would be little left in the MD engineer’s budget. It was important for the council to work with businesses that generated waste. Cllr Jack White (FG) seconded the motion which was adopted.

Cllr McCarthy wondered if litter bins would be installed on the new section of Active Travel greenway path between Bridgemount and Herons Wood, Carrigaline.  The engineer said he would talk to the project team but pointed out that the area office wasn’t getting the budget to maintain projects such as this and the new public realm scheme in Ringaskiddy.