What is Litter?

The definition of litter is quite wide and extends beyond casual pieces of paper, cigarette ends, chewing gum, to anything large or small which is, or is likely to become, unsightly.

What is the penalty for Littering?

The on the spot fine for littering is €150 and the maximum fine on conviction in court is €3,000.

Who enforces the Litter Laws?

Roscommon County Council is responsible for enforcing the litter laws in the county. The Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended empowers the Local Authority and Gardai to issue on the spot fines for littering offences.

Dog Owners

Dog owners must remove their dogs waste from public places and dispose of it in a proper manner. This obligation applies to the following places:

• Public roads and footpaths
• Areas around shopping centres
• School/sports grounds
• Beaches
• the immediate area surrounding another person's house. 

Public Places

If you are the owner or the person responsible for a place to which the public has access you are obliged to keep the place litter free, regardless of how the litter got there. This applies to any public place which may include the precincts of a shopping centre, a school campus, a public park, a bus or train station.

Private Property

The owner or occupier of property which can be seen from a public place is obliged to keep it free of litter. Basically, any outdoor area on your property that is visible from a public place must be kept free of litter.

Business Owners

Business owners in urban areas are legally obliged to keep the footpaths and pavements in front of their businesses free from litter.

 Posters and Advertising Signs

The Litter Act forbids the putting up of posters/signs on poles or on other structures in public places unless you have the written permission of the owner of the pole or other structure in advance of putting up the posters/signs. 

Advertising Flyers

The placing of advertising leaflets on car windscreens is prohibited and if you are proposing to distribute advertising leaflets in the street, you should first check with the local authority to see if they have introduced any local litter restrictions.  

Major Events

The promoters or organisers of major events are required to ensure that they have litter control measures in place at the venue and in the surrounding vicinity before, during and after the event. This applies to football matches and other social and sporting events at which large crowds attend. It is possible that this task can be undertaken by the local authority but the promoter/organiser must bear the costs involved. 

Mobile Food Outlets

Operators of mobile food outlets selling fast food or beverages, or other outlets such as those selling farm produce are obliged to provide suitable litter bins in the vicinity of their outlets. Also, they must clean-up any litter arising from the operation of their outlets within a radius of 100 metres from their outlet.

Presenting your Refuse for Collection

You should put out refuse for collection on the morning of the collection and not on the day or night before. The longer it is left out for collection the more likely it is to attract the unwanted attention of dogs, cats and birds, and create a litter problem.

It is an offence to dispose of your household refuse in street litter bins.

Vehicle Related Offences

If you own, hire or drive a vehicle and litter is dropped from it you are causing a litter offence.