Life as a litter warden might get a little dull at times. Mostly you're dealing with fly-tipping, tossed bin bags and not much more, certainly nothing likely to get your name in the paper.
Or so Alan Nolan thought. He's a litter warden in Co. Meath and was as surprised as anyone at what he found by the side of the road last year.
"I don't often get surprised at this stage at the stuff that people dump, but last September we got a call from a lady about illegal dumping at the side of the road at Beamore, which included a large suitcase," said Alan.
"I told her not to touch anything until we arrived in case there was any evidence. We looked at the suitcase for any markings or any travel labels on it but there was nothing."
"When we opened it, there were over 40 sex toys of all descriptions. It just completely surprised and baffled me. Why would someone just dump them on the roadside?"
"Last week while clearing up more rubbish dumped in Gormanston, we came across another sex toy and lubricant. These things are completely recyclable for free because they are battery operated."
It's part of a spate of littering that has taken hold in Meath. Alan estimates that 10,000 bags' worth of trash has been picked up from the side of the road since the pandemic started, ranging from standard waste to dildos and, apparently, weed.
"It's getting more prevalent," he said. "In the last three years, I have come across about eight incidents of illegal dumping of between 10 and 20 bags of compost and used cannabis plants along roads in areas like Ashbourne, Garristown, Julianstown, Bettystown and Bellewstown."
"That is the puzzling part. Most of the waste around our countryside can be recycled for a €2 charge at a civic amenity site. Indeed, some of the dumpers have probably driven past a recycling centre to tip their rubbish along the road."
"On one occasion I came across 25 bags of aluminium beer cans which could have earned a few hundred euro from a scrap metal operator.
"I've also found valuable bikes, worth up to €800 and buggies with all the attachments that would cost about €680, just abandoned on the roadside."
Topics: Ireland