Thomas Lyons 
Meath County Council has launched an investigation into the illegal dumping of approximately 50kg of chicken bones in the Kentstown area on Sunday evening (April 8). The poultry waste was found overflowing from its packaging on the road outside a dairy farm over the Easter weekend, adjacent to fields of grazing livestock. Manager of the nearby farm, Shane Corbally, expressed his anger over the incident, which he believes was intentional, stating that it is unlikely a vehicle carrying this type of produce would be passing through the quiet area. He also expressed major concern over the spread of diseases such as botulism and salmonella, and reported the incident to Gardaí, who referred the matter to the council.
However, more than 24 hours after the report, the dumped meat and bones had yet to be taken away. The local authority has since confirmed to Agriland that it arranged for the removal of the products and that it is now looking into the incident. In a statement, it said: “Following receipt of the report of the dumping, the council arranged for the collection and disposal of the meat products to an appropriate facility. Investigations in relation to the source of the meat products are continuing,” it added. It is understood that details of the dumping have also been sent to the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
Corbally posted about the dumping on Twitter, where many condemned the incident and warned that scavengers or vermin could pick at the waste and spread diseases. Sinn Féin TD Darren O’Rourke also condemned the dumping and said “this is a reckless and dangerous action, which poses serious risk to local wildlife”. He called on Meath County Council to continue their efforts and resolve the matter without delay.
Dumping of animal carcasses has been reported in other areas of Northern Ireland this week, in counties Tyrone and Derry. The carcasses of six to seven calves, several ewes and lambs, and boxes of chicken parts were found dumped on a riverbank near Fivemiletown in Co. Tyrone earlier in the week. Clogher Valley independent candidate in the Mid Ulster local election, Kevin Mcelvogue, took to social media to call for the removal of the animal parts after he visited the site numerous times, only to find that they were still lying there. He stated that if the animals died of disease, pollution could be leaching into the waterways, and called for immediate action.
In a separate incident, about 15-20 skinned lambs were discovered by a wildlife photographer in a river near the Leighry Road, Limavady, in Co. Derry. The incident was labelled “a disgrace” and photos were posted on Twitter to spread awareness of the problem. The illegal dumping of animal carcasses is not only a danger to wildlife but also poses a threat to public health. The spread of diseases such as botulism and salmonella can have serious consequences and can be easily avoided by proper disposal of waste.
Meath County Council has a responsibility to ensure that the illegal dumping of waste is dealt with swiftly and efficiently. The investigation into the source of the meat products should be thorough and any individuals or companies found to be responsible should be held accountable for their actions. The dumping of waste not only causes harm to the environment but also poses a risk to public health and the health of local wildlife. It is important that individuals and companies are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to the proper disposal of waste and that the appropriate measures are taken to prevent incidents like this from happening again.
