So much waste was dumped by one individual at a notorious Tuam litter blackspot that he was charged with not having a permit to engage in waste disposal by Galway County Council.
The Palace Grounds, a public park, is regularly despoiled by illegal dumping, mainly adjacent to the bottle banks and clothes collection receptacles.
A community warden gave evidence before Judge James Faughnan at Tuam District Court of finding a large amount of discarded clothing and other waste littering the public parking area on May 24, 2024.
On examining the dumped items he uncovered welfare documentation which led him to bring a prosecution against the owner, Russian national Yevheni Vashchenko, with an address at the time at 212 Palace Fields, Tuam.
The Court was told that such was the volume of the waste dumped that the prosecution came under the Waste Management Act Section 32 which is designed to combat environmental pollution. Judge Faughnan was told that the defendant had no permit to collect waste.
The Judge imposed a fine of €500 and ordered county council costs of €350 be paid by the defendant, who was not present or represented in court.
