Environmental damage due to illegal burning at traveller housing sites

sidzer

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I wish the HSE would insall a big extractor fan over the back of a local traveller housing site.

It borders one of the few safe places to walk or run in the town I live in and on most nights a black tar smoke cloud bellows out as plastics hiss and general rubbish cracks, pops and the odd missile explodes from the fire.

I have phoned and e-mailed the council many times but they don't seem to be too bothered (Louth County Council)- maybe I should ring the HSE - when the fire is not burning there are usually rats hoping about on the waste that the flames missed.

This is a major health and safety issue for everyone who lives in the area including the travellers whose children play in the area.
 
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Re: HSE spending on non health related issues eg Traveller conflict resolution

So it is - it's also illegal - try it in your own garden and you might find the fire brigade breaking your side gate down to get round and extinguish it.

Did you manage to speak to an Environmental health officer about it? If this is a regular occurrence its problematic for more than just its nuisance - burning rubbish, tyres, oil and furniture releases benzines and other carcinogens into the air.

I understood that travellers are obliged to follow some rules if they are on a council-provided halting site, and that includes appropriate management of waste that doesn't include backyard burning. Persist with the EHO until you get satisfaction.
 
Re: HSE spending on non health related issues eg Traveller conflict resolution

I wish the HSE would insall a big extractor fan over the back of a local traveller housing site. It borders one of the few safe places to walk or run in the town I live in and on most nights a black tar smoke cloud bellows out as plastics hiss and general rubish cracks, pops and the odd missle explodes from the fire.
I have phoned and e-mailed the council many times but they don't seem to be too bothered (Louth County Council)- maybe I should ring the HSE - when the fire is not burning there are usually rats hoping about on the waste that the flames missed.

This is a major health and safety issue for everyone who lives in the area including the travellers whose children play in the area.

Phone and tell them there is an illegal fire in your neighbours garden (give them your own address). See how long it takes them to turn up and address your concerns while you have them.
 
Re: HSE spending on non health related issues eg Traveller conflict resolution

I understood that travellers are obliged to follow some rules if they are on a council-provided halting site.
You might try telling them that, as the one near where I'm from has been repeatedly trashed within months of it being refurbed....every time.

Respect is earned!
 
Re: HSE spending on non health related issues eg Traveller conflict resolution

... I understood that travellers are obliged to follow some rules if they are on a council-provided halting site, ...
Your understanding is a bit naive - officials who tried to enforce rules on halting sites and adjacent public areas a few miles from where I live were hit with the 'race' accusation. For example 'our ethnic minority culture allows us to use ATVs and off-road bikes with no tax, insurance, licence, registration, NCT, helmet and you can't stop us or we'll sue you'.
 
Re: Environmental damage due to illegal burning at halting sites

I have phoned and e-mailed the council many times but they don't seem to be too bothered (Louth County Council)

You should write to the Environmental Department of Louth Co Co listing in detail the alleged pollution incidents. (Days, dates, times, locations etc)
 
My neighbour, who isn't a member of the travelling community but is a retired public sector worker, also burns such waste - Plastic chairs etc.

However, he's able to skirt the environmental people by burning rubbish on weekends.
 
My neighbour, who isn't a member of the travelling community but is a retired public sector worker, also burns such waste - Plastic chairs etc.

However, he's able to skirt the environmental people by burning rubbish on weekends.

This practice is widespread in rural areas especially on weekends. And they are not all retired public sector workers either ;)
Look for the people that do not put out a wheely bin - some even burn their rubbish in their own fireplace.
 
Surely you know that Travellers are above the law. We must respect their culture so as not to discriminate against them. The rest of us just have to obey the law
 
Your understanding is a bit naive - officials who tried to enforce rules on halting sites and adjacent public areas a few miles from where I live were hit with the 'race' accusation. For example 'our ethnic minority culture allows us to use ATVs and off-road bikes with no tax, insurance, licence, registration, NCT, helmet and you can't stop us or we'll sue you'.

This is naive. No public official falls for this. Public officials are well aware of their legal obligations under the Equal Status Acts, and are well aware of how the Equality Tribunals have responded to claims of discrimination by travellers in recent years.

I have phoned and e-mailed the council many times but they don't seem to be too bothered (Louth County Council)-
You might need to make a bit of a campaign around this. Get the email address for the Director of Environment services and/or the County Manager, and start emailing them directly. Use photos and/or video clips to emphasise your point. Get some local councillors involved. Get the local papers and/or radio stations involved.
 
How about contacting the various groups who campaign against incinerators?

They are objecting to well run incinerators which will have negligible emissions of dioxins, yet they do nothing about ordinary citizens burning waste in their back gardens.

Brendan
 
Why don't you speak with them and ask them nicely not to burn stuff?
 
My neighbour, who isn't a member of the travelling community but is a retired public sector worker, also burns such waste - Plastic chairs etc.


How subtle (not). No matter what the topic of a thread, some people just can't stop themselves.
 
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