Bags of oil, fat left at Beara cove

THE dumping of commercial catering waste has not only blighted a beauty spot in Beara, it has also polluted the coastline.

A group of local clean-up volunteers took before and after photographs after cleaning up the sea cove just outside the village of Allihies on the Wild Atlantic Way.

But to their horror, they found that more commercial catering waste – including oils, fats, greases and catering-sized foot containers – were dumped a second time at the scenic spot.

Local man Kevin Kenneally quickly organised a boat and a group of volunteers cleaned the area, which is called Cuas, and is located near Tra Phearla.

Local woman Pauliina Kauppila said the discovery of commercial waste was, in a way, ‘even more disturbing than regular domestic fly-tipping.’

She said the group of local volunteers regularly organise beach and road-side clean-ups to help maintain the appearance and the appeal of their part of the Beara Peninsula.

And she said: ‘This sort of wilful ignorance and disregard for the environment is very disheartening. 

‘The fact that it was obviously done by someone whose business directly benefits from tourists visiting this beautiful area makes it even less comprehensible.’

Kevin Kenneally wrote a letter to Cork County Council officials, its litter warden, and The Southern Star, to highlight the problem.

He said the group went through the rubbish but could find no paperwork or items that might help trace the culprit. 

However, he said the tomato ketchup sachets bearing a logo might help ‘to narrow down the source.’