Dubliners will soon be able to use their smart phones to report overflowing street bins for emptying to the city council.
QR code tags are currently being attached to Dublin City Council bins with all bins expected to be "tagged" by mid-2018. These QR codes, a type of barcode which can be scanned using a smartphone camera, will allow the public to report any issues to the council.
Dublin city’s litter management sub-committee said it intends to hold a media launch to highlight the new bin project and to also use advertising space on bins to promote the scheme.
The issue of overflowing litter bins, particularly at weekends in the suburbs, has come before meetings of the litter committee this year with some councillors highlighting the problem of householders dumping household waste in them.
The council is implementing new shift patterns for workers as well as a re-structuring of litter depots to “ensure that the frequency of the emptying of bins will improve and that it should be possible to ensure service to all high priority areas seven days a week”.
In addition, the council is also considering bye laws to tackle the “serious problem” of waste responsibility when it comes to multi-occupancy dwellings. According to legal advice obtained by the council, attempting to fine or prosecute landlords of multi-occupancy dwellings is unlikely to succeed.
Instead, the committee will later this month discuss bye-laws proposed for introduction in 2018 in an attempt to address the issue of responsibility of multi let and similar properties.
The committee is also attempting to tackle the issue of cigarette litter, especially outside pubs, bookmakers and restaurants with councillors complaining that many establishments simply sweep litter from outside their premises onto the roadway.
According to minutes of the litter committee, an awareness campaign comprising of installation, digital and traditional advertising (ie on busses and posters) is being developed to highlight cigarette butts as a litter problem.
“An enforcement campaign will work side-by-side with this, with litter wardens to target enforcement of the litter prevention bye laws and raise awareness of businesses of their responsibilities,” the minutes note.
