Campaign to end dumping in countryside

A CRACKDOWN on people dumping household rubbish in country fields is the goal of a new Irish Farmers Association campaign.

Launching the 2011 The Countryside is Watching campaign yesterday, IFA deputy president Eddie Downey called on local authorities to focus on catching dumpers rather than threatening farmers with fines for rubbish dumped on their lands.

Mr Downey said: “Farmers are reporting increasing levels of large-scale dumping in fields, woodland areas and ditches along the roadside. Local authorities will have to crack down on persistent offenders who choose to use the countryside to dump their household rubbish instead of paying bin charges.