Rural rubbish likely to trash area’s reputation

literally trashing the area’s reputation at home and abroad.

That’s according to a number of concerned locals, some of whom themselves regularly fill bag after bag with discarded rubbish over and above the amount lifted by the district council.

Countryside residents and rural businesses between Banbridge and Dromore report a running battle to keep fields, woodland, hedgerows and roads clear of domestic and other waste.

Between them they are encountering everything from oil drums to old tyres, fast-food wrappers to wine and whiskey bottles by the bagload.

“What people throw out of their cars is horrendous,” said one man.

“I find it disgusting.

“I don’t want all this rubbish lying at the bottom of the road; it’s disgraceful.

“I am regularly out there picking up stuff other people have left behind.”

Convinced the same person/people are responsible for much of the dumping in some areas, concerned locals did not want to be named for fear of provoking a targeted backlash.

“We’d love it if cameras could be put up to catch these people in the act,” said another.

Still another said theirs was an area that had many visitors, including overseas visitors.

“Last Saturday,” he said,” I picked up two bags worth of rubbish.

“We have visitors coming here all the time and I don’t want people to see this and think that’s what Northern Ireland’s like.

“There are amenity sites for dumping rubbish and as often as not it’s probably no further to drive than it is to drive out here and dump their stuff.”