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Nigel McKeown, Head of Environmental Services at Ballymoney Council, said: “There doesn’t seem to be a problem since the levy came in and if anything the situation seems to have improved here because of good work carried out by our Warden Karen Mitchell and also press appeals on the issue.

“We will be keeping an eye on it in case the levy does become a factor. As the time goes on perhaps the number of plastic bags in circulation will decline.”

Moyle Council, Environmental Warden Martin McHenry said they will also monitor the situation but so far there has been no noticeable increase in the number of complaints about dog fouling which currently stands at about three a week.

At Moyle they have bag dispenser units at a number of key dog-walking areas including Ballycastle, Bushmills and Cushendall which are filled once a week.

* In April the Stormont government introduced a 5p tax on plastic bags being given out in the hope of reducing the number of bags which turn up as rubbish.

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