Syringe, bathtub, couch and scaffolding found in stream
By Aideen O'Flaherty
A DEDICATED team of volunteers collected 40 bags of rubbish, and other waste including a bathtub, drug paraphernalia which included a syringe, and a couch.
Other items collected were bikes, scooters, a parasol, scaffolding, a shopping trolley and a mattress, all from a short stretch of the Whitestown Stream in Avonbeg on Sunday.
Volunteers collected 40 bags of rubbish
The clean-up was carried out by 22 volunteers from the Dodder Valley Litter Mugs and Dodder Action.
As well as the bags of litter collected, the group also removed a number of large household items from the stream.
This included a couch, which six volunteers grouped together to remove as it was waterlogged and extremely heavy.
Christine Barretto, founder of the Dodder Valley Litter Mugs, told The Echo: “[All of the rubbish] was collected in two hours along a short stretch of Whitestown Stream in Avonbeg.
“We were all shocked [that there was so much rubbish], as this particular part of the river was cleaned by us twice last year. We had new volunteers who had never seen anything like it.
I think that is the most frustrating part – we clean it and the riverine health improves drastically, only for us to return to it, and it being back to the way it was.”
The syringe and sofa found in Whitestown
Ms Barretto added: “With the establishment of the South Dublin Environmental Network (SDEN), it is becoming apparent that the maintenance and care of our riverine systems is less than satisfactory across South Dublin.
“It appears that volunteers are carrying out this aspect of environmental efforts. The benefits of well-maintained riverine areas are substantial – none more so than flood prevention.”
The Crumlin Clean-Up group, with support from the SDEN, is planning a demonstration to help raise awareness of the environmental concern of keeping waterways free of litter.
The demonstration will take place this Sunday, January 12, with a riverine clean-up of the Poddle in St Martin’s/ Ravensdale Parks in Crumlin from 10am to midday, followed by activities involving art and environmental awareness from 1-4pm.
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