COMMENT: Strategy required to bring dashboard litter louts to heel

Despite all of the awareness campaigns and work of so many people, both professionally and voluntarily, evidence suggests the problem of litter and indiscriminate dumping in our society is not abating to any significant degree.

It may seem a relatively small issue in an era when a wide diversity of difficulties are impinging on people's lives, but it reflects a malaise and lack of respect that is far from good for the collective soul as we begin a new year with renewed expectations.

On a recent walk from Castlebar to the Windy Gap, one was struck by the degree of litter lodged on the sides of the roadway.

It was obviously discarded from passing vehicles and it included fast food packaging, plastic bottles, beer and soft drink cans, cigarette boxes, empty coffee cups and crisp bags as well as the wrappers of chocolate and snack bars.

The extent of it was arguably the most shocking aspect of it. Almost every 10 to 12 steps along the way brought a new discovery.

Now it has to be remembered that this is a relatively quiet rural road which leads into the beautiful village of Bofeenaun, set against the stunning background of Nephin Mountain.

The section from Burren Bridge to the Windy Gap in one of the most scenic in the county, its remoteness and beauty providing leisure walkers and cyclists with ideal surroundings to unwind from the stresses and strains of modern living.

That this most wonderful of locations is being tarnished so despicably by a sector of those passing through it deserved to be exposed and condemned in equal measure.

This newspaper posted 20 photographs of the litter in question on its Facebook page on December 26 and they were viewed by thousands of people.

One of those who commented on the post, Niamh O'Neill, hit the proverbial nail on the head when she stated: "It's so common, ditching fast food and coffee cups out the window so their car can be clear. No clue how beautiful the countryside is. Self-absorbed."

In another comment, Margaret Devaney stated: "It's everywhere, on main roads and down country roads. It's disgraceful. What is wrong with people dumping their rubbish on our doorstep."

Sadly, Margaret is correct. It is happening everywhere.

Alan Mee, the chairman of Castlebar Tidy Towns Committee, a great organisation which is forced to spent much of its valuable time cleaning up litter discarded by citizens, confirmed the top source of litter in Mayo is the stuff thrown from vehicles.

Dashboard litter, he calls it.

"It is so maddening,” as Deirdre Fahy rightly remarked, "because those responsible don't care."

So, in effect, a strategy needs to be devised to ensure they start caring.

Obviously, CCTV cameras cannot be placed on every twist and turn of our roads, but a number could help to lead to prosecutions, which would send out a strong message.

The debate over packaging also needs to step up to a whole new level entirely.

But, most of all, the culture among sections of the population which appears to tolerate the throwing of rubbish out of a car window onto the side of a road must be challenged and condemned at every opportunity.