KOREC mapping systems fight Irish fly-tipping

16 October 2008, 12:50pm

An environmental project in Ireland, established to combat the increase in illegal dumping/fly-tipping that occurs in the Wicklow/Dublin uplands, has found that a switch from paper records to a ‘no frill’s mapping system is saving time, increasing accuracy and providing essential base line data for the future.

PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural Environments, www.pureproject.ie), a pilot project funded by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the first of its kind in Ireland has equipped its driver with a Trimble Juno handheld GPS receiver with KOREC’s FastMap Mobile software on-board. Lightweight and compact enough to fit into the driver’s pocket, the Juno is accurate to 2-5m and ideal for recording the position of the dumped rubbish. Details of the dumping incident can then be recorded on the spot using FastMap Mobile’s drop down menus.

PURE Project Leader, Ian Davis explains, “Each report or complaint received is investigated by the relevant Local Authority. We then send out our dedicated truck which ensures a swift removal of the material from the landscape. Last year we carried out around 700 collections and that means that the driver had to fill out an equal number of A4 sheets which were then transcribed by me back at the office and entered into our database. As well as being time consuming and awkward in wet weather, this method wasn’t providing enough detailed information for us to build up an exact picture of what was happening where. Previously each incident used to take the driver several minutes to record, now he’s taking just 20 seconds!

The new system means that we now have a precise position for dumped rubbish rather than just a description of the area it was dropped in. It also means that we can interrogate our FastMap GIS back in the office and determine who is responsible for the dumping, from householders (domestic rubbish-single bag etc.) to unauthorised
waste collectors (multiple bags, furniture, etc.) and builders (construction and demolition, etc.) In frequently targeted areas we can then identify areas for the deployment of covert CCTV equipment.”

Ian concludes, “Combining the Trimble Juno with FastMap software provided us with a system that was both cost-effective and very easy to use. We are now looking towards securing funding for the next three years.”

For further information on Trimble mapping products, please call +353 (0) 1 4564702 or visit www.korecgroup.com KOREC Group, Unit B7 Riverview Business Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12

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Geo: International