Cllr's bright idea to use pooch poo to power our street lights!
Never one to be short of novels ideas on how to tackle the problem of dog fouling, Cllr Noel French's latest suggestion is to use dog poo to power street lights. The first poo-powered street lamp was recently installed in Britain and now the Trim councillor wants to see one in Meath. Every year Cllr French strives to come up with novel ways to get the problem of dog fouling into the news. First he suggested audio warning systems, then it was drones and Cllr French even went as far as suggesting that poo be DNA tested and posted back to its owners.
Speaking about his the inspiration for his latest notion, the Fine Gael councilor said: "Britain's first dog poo-powered street-lamp was installed earlier this year to help to clear up verges as well as guiding walkers descending from the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire. Dog walkers are provided with free compostable bags and encouraged to deposit what their dog produces into a hatch which leads to an anaerobic digester beside the lamp.
"Ten bags of poo is sufficient to provide two hours of light from dusk. Dog owners are encouraged to turn a handle five times which helps break down the contents of the digester to produce methane to fuel the lamp."
Cllr French has also been campaigning for more litter fines to be handed out. He welcomed the fact that Meath County Council issued three dog fouling fines in 2017 though only two were paid. The council issued four dog fouling fines in 2016 and two were paid. In 2015 five fines were issued and one paid. "This is a major improvement as in 2013 and 2014 there were no fines issued," he said.
In 2014 he asked council to install an audio warning in the Trim area with regard to dog fouling. That system was installed in Navan's Blackwater Park in 2015. In 2015, Cllr French called for the fouling to be highlighted by spraying it a bright colour which has been done by Corby Council in England.
“Post Dog Poo to Dog’s Owners” was another of his ideas where he called for the DNA data base on dog’s licences to be used to trace the owners. In a town in Spain, he said they find the owners and they post the poo back to them as “lost property” but had no result on that one. In 2016, Cllr French called for drone technology to catch dog foulers. A year later drone technology adopted by the Department to combat littering. Last year Cllr French asked the council to investigate the installation of mobile CCTV to address dog fouling. He also called for signs to be painted on the ground to deter dog fouling.
“We need to send them a message - that this is not acceptable. I would like to see more fines issued and more brought to completion. We have to make it socially unacceptable to allow your dog foul a public area. We need to send out a message that dog fouling is disgusting and unacceptable."