AARON KENT
There is no suitable area for a bottle bank in Ferrybank, that’s according to Senior Executive Officer with the Council's Environment Department, Dawn Wallace.
This comment came in response to a question from Social Democrats Councillor Mary Roche.
“I’ve had representations from residents in Ferrybank about the lack of a bottle bank over there. There were two, one in the Aldi and one around Fountain Street, both have been removed. Can we get a new bottle bank in please?” Cllr. Roche requested at a recent meeting of Waterford Metropolitan District Council.
This seemingly innocuous question drew an interesting response form the Council executive, with Dawn Wallace speaking on behalf of the Environment Department saying: “We had to remove the bottle bank in Ferrybank to facilitate the North Quays work and we don’t actually have anywhere else to put them”.
“Kilkenny have removed their bottle banks from the Aldi and that has exasperated the problem, but we just don’t have anywhere else to put them,” Ms. Wallace said.
Unsatisfied by this answer, Cllr. Roche said: “Could we look at it again?”
“We’ve looked everywhere that is an option for us,” Ms. Wallace replied. “There isn’t a location for us to put them in.”
With rules limiting the ability of Councillors to reply, Metropolitan Mayor Adam Wyse picked up the issue, saying: “I find that a bit peculiar that there is not a single area that we could put a bottle bank in to service people there. I would ask that we look at that a bit more”.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable that people would have to leave Ferrybank to get rid of bottles. We want people to recycle and we’re making it as difficult possible for them then,” Mayor Wyse added.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
