Cash for old cans plan to tackle litter problem

By Craig Hughes

GALWAY City Council is set to unveil a pioneering new anti-litter scheme in the coming months, the Sentinel has learned.

The ‘cash for cans’ scheme, which could come into effect before the end of this year, will see locals being paid to recycle aluminium drink cans which in turn would be melted down by a private company.The scheme would see a return to the method employed in the ’70s, with an additional tax placed on drink cans and the levy being refunded at the recycling centre.

The Liosbaun recycling centre off the Tuam Road has been earmarked as the most likely site to base the scheme.Under the scheme, it ’s envisaged that initially  a bounty of €6 would be  paid for every 200 cans recycled.

Chairperson of Galway City Council’s Environment SPC, Cllr Catherine  Connolly, who is spearheading the scheme, believes that the scheme will go a long way towards combating the serious litter problem in the city.

“It works around the world, so especially in the recession we hope that people will make it work here. People need to be involved in keeping the environment clean and this is one way in which they can do it,” she said.

“10c has been mentioned as the possible tax but I would hope it would be higher than this to give people more of an initiative to get involved in the scheme,” she added.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.