A proposal to introduce recycling bins in town centres and areas of natural beauty in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) area during this month’s Environmental Services Committee was defeated.

During a discussion around single use plastics at the meeting, SDLP Councillor Paul Blake put forward the proposal for the Council to look at rolling out blue bins across the district over the summer months when there would be an increase in people coming to visit and stay.

“What I would be looking for from the Council as we approach the summer time and when we were talking about areas of natural beauty would it be possible for the Council to look at rolling out the blue bin in areas where people are walking,” asked Councillor Blake. “Especially when the weather is warm then we are looking at our bins being full with plastic bottles and things like that.”

Councillor Blake said that if people don’t have the option of using a recycling bin they will put their waste anywhere and with the increase in the number of tourists coming to the district there should be the option of using recycling bins, pointing out Cuilcagh Mountain Park as one location.

In response to the proposal, Sinn Féin’s Siobhán Currie said she was reluctant to support the proposal made by Councillor Blake.

“I’m reluctant to support anything that puts bins in countryside areas,” explained Councillor Currie. “We should really as a Council be focusing on promoting people bringing their waste home and not just disposing of it in the natural environment.

“The second reason would be that bins generally in the country side just encourage more dumping. They become focal points for the likes of fly tippers who thing ‘oh well the Council is going to be coming and lifting rubbish from here anyway so I’m just going to dump it’ and there has been studies done on that. And the third point is if you’re putting a blue bin out in the country side you know other waste is going to end up in it. I wouldn’t really support that at all I don’t think we should be putting bins out in the countryside.”

Councillor Blake’s proposal was defeated 12-10, however the discussion did not end in the chamber. Councillor Blake’s fellow SDLP Councillor Adam Gannon and Councillor Currie continued the debate on Twitter. Councillor Gannon queried why Sinn Féin voted against his party colleague’s proposal less than a day after they supported his own climate crisis motion. Councillor Currie hit back defending her and her party’s opposition to the proposal saying there should be no bins in the countryside and people should be encouraged to take the waste home with them.