This is the amount of casually discarded rubbish collected by one man, with one litter-picker, on one road, in a little over one hour, in Killarney this Monday morning.
The sickening haul included beer bottles, drink cans, fast food wrappers, soiled rubber gloves, empty tins, egg cartons, plastic containers, sweet wrappers, cigarette boxes and empty medicine packets.
The man in question was Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce joint president and passionate tidy towns campaigner, Johnny McGuire, who went on voluntary litter picking patrol between the Franciscan Friary and the roundabout at Day’s SuperValu on Park Road.
He said he found the rubbish along the grass margins, up on walls and in the gutters and he collected it all to ensure it was disposed of safely and responsibly.
Johnny, who lives on Park Road, said it’s a regular occurrence and it wouldn’t be hugely unusual to find this amount of filth – or more – while on walkabout lean-up duty.
He tries to play his part a number of days a week – every week – but he said the irresponsible action of those that toss away their rubbish for somebody else to pick up greatly disappoints him.
“This is all in addition to the council sweeper which cleans up the area several days a week but it’s impossible for them to spot everything as, very often, the rubbish is discarded on high grass or behind low walls,” Johnny said.
He also referenced five large bags of rubbish that were collected on Sunday by a mother and daughter, living on the Tralee Road, who exhibited a bit of civic pride.
“They started out at Lawlor’s Cross and walked for half a mile or so towards town and they filled five bags with all sorts of refuse and that is on the main Killarney-Tralee road,” Johnny noted.
KillarneyToday.com: Setting the standard. It’s wise to advertise where it will be seen. Email: news@killarneytoday.com or Call 087-2229761
