Waterford Fianna Fáil TD Ollie Wilkinson has called for 24-hour waste wardens to patrol dumping black spots in the city and the county.
"In some areas," he said yesterday, "whole stretches of road have become the dumping grounds for plastic sacks of household refuse, mattresses, fridges, washing machines, sinks and cookers."
There was a chronic shortage of landfill space, an issue on which he was working with Minister for the Environment Dick Roche, who visited Waterford last week.
Mr Wilkinson said the waste wardens should be empowered to impose on-the-spot fines on "the handful" of illegal dumpers, saying they could not be allowed to ride roughshod over the natural environment.
"The public, too, must play its part in stepping up surveillance in these areas," he added, "and report illegal dumping to the local authorities and to the media."
