YOUNG people in Belfast – along with the Belfast Hills Partnership – have spoken out against the amount of fly-tipping and littering taking place in the Belfast Hills. In recent months there has been an upsurge in the littering of takeaway cartons, drinks bottles and fly-tipping of larger items such as mattresses, sofas, car-seats and large children’s toys.
In August 2021 Belfast Hills Partnership organised the installation of CCTV cameras at several fly-tipping hotspots in a bid to track those dumping their rubbish. This has led to 20 incidents in which people have been observed dumping, and their details have been passed onto Council authorities and the PSNI to prosecute those caught in the act.
More recently the Partnership has been working with local primary schools and youth groups such as Bunscoil An tSléibhe Dhuibh, Ballymacward Primary School, Newhill Youth Centre and St Teresa’s Youth Centre who live near the hills, and the children involved have made a short film speaking out against the fly-tippers.
Laura Shiels at Belfast Hills Partnership said “It has been really encouraging getting to meet so many local kids who really care about looking after our local wildlife and want other people to care as well. They want to be able to enjoy the Hills, not see them constantly dumped on! We hope that by sharing what our young people have to say that those who litter and dump will think twice about their actions and consider the impact they are having on the local community.”
In addition to the CCTV, a number of signs have also been put up in the area warning people that they will be captured on CCTV if they engage in fly-tipping while also reminding them that this is a home to nature. Belfast Hills Partnership have stated that the signs have had an effect, with less rubbish being dumped, and more local residents asking for signs to be placed near their property.
Noel Rice, a Wildlife Connections Officer with the Belfast Hills Partnership, has been organising cleanup crews with local residents to clear the litter and debris.
"We've been working with local Councils to try to deter fly-tipping," he said. "Local residents, who bear the brunt of this anti-social behaviour, have welcomed our interventions. They've told us that the presence of signage, warning about the possibility of CCTV monitoring, whilst not eliminating fly-tipping, has definitely reduced the amount of incidents."
