Council goes airborne in battle to protect environment

LIMERICK County Council have taken a lead from the gardaí, who deploy a helicopter to help fight crime in Limerick city, by taking to the skies to tackle illegal activity in isolated rural areas.

A Cessna N172 single engine plane is now used by the council for environmental patrols.

Photographic evidence gathered by an environmental scientist who goes up in the plane has helped bring prosecutions for pollution and illegal dumping.

A number of illegal dumps in isolated rural areas have been uncovered by the spotter plane and closed down.

The council also engages the plane if they have difficulty in pinpointing the source of a major pollution of a river or water course.

The council director of environmental services, Tom Enright, said last year they identified more than 30 sites where illegal dumping and burning had taken place and with photographic evidence, launched follow-up investigations.

He said: “The plane is very useful as it enables us to cover very large areas in isolated parts of the county in a relatively short space of time. We can investigate from the air areas which can be very difficult to access from the ground because of their remoteness. It is also very cost-effective as the plane costs about €150 an hour to hire out.”

He said if environmental staff were to investigate these areas by road, it could take much longer.

Mr Enright said: “Thankfully we do not have the problem they have in counties like Wicklow where large scale illegal dumping has been uncovered. But we still need to be vigilant and to this end, the plane is very helpful.”

He said the plane also enables them to identify any illegal spreading of material on farm land.

Mr Enright said: “Farmers cannot spread waste from sewage treatment plants. Farm waste can be spread, but cannot be put out when land is waterlogged. If a river pollution comes to our attention and there may be several possible sources we can use the plane to pinpoint the source.”

The council have been able to use photographic evidence gathered from the air in a number of successful prosecutions.

He said: “Sometimes we may detect a situation which has arisen out of ignorance of the law and through no deliberate illegal intent. And in such cases we can go to the person with the photographic evidence and advise them that certain practices cannot continue.”