Sticky problem costs millions

Delegates on last week's 'Do You Get the Guildhall' event for women, many of whom were from the Lincoln Courts area of the Waterside, were shocked to learn that dealing with waste in the district cost the ratepayer aound 4.5million annually.

A discussion on street cleansing and waste management arose after a delegate said she was disappointed to see that graffiti had already appeared on the new benches installed in the city centre.

Speaking after the event, a spokesperson for Derry City Council said the council spent in the region of 1.6m every year on street cleansing and indiscriminate dumping.

"The litter disposed of within the Derry City Council area comes in various forms, from cigarette ends to illegal indiscriminate dumping of larger items. As littering takes up a vast amount of Council time and resources, the Council would appeal to members of the public to act responsibly at all times when disposing of rubbish," she said.

The City Council operates a street cleansing section comprising of a mix of mechanical and manual operators working to a high standard seven days per week in an effort to maintain the cleanliness of the city and district streets.

Members of the public are reminded that it is against the law to drop litter or to dump indiscriminately.

Last year the Council purchased two new specialised Gumbuster machines at a cost of over 40,000. The specially converted vans are at the cutting edge of street cleansing technology and have made a major contribution to the council's capability with regard to removing chewing gum and other debris

The Council, as part of its commitment to reach the highest standards as possible, is one of only six Councils in Northern Ireland that subscribes to Tidy Northern Ireland and is subject to regular independent performance assessments and monitoring. Statistics show that the Council has been setting new standards in street cleanliness over the past four years.

The City Engineer John Kelpie said Council remained committed to improving the levels of cleanliness on Londonderry's streets.

"An increase in the number of litter bins, the implementation of an education programme and an increase in the number of recycling centres are just some of the initiatives the Council has undertaken.

"The addition of the Gumbuster vehicles signals we are not content to sit on our laurels."