25 March 2015
Constables and States departments are warning gardening businesses and householders to deal with garden debris responsibly.
Representatives from the Comité des Connétables, the Environment Department and Transport and Technical Services met recently to tackle the problem.
They’re concerned about the impact of leaves, twigs and grass cuttings on the public drainage system. Garden waste blown on to roads or dumped in the wrong place can end up blocking Jersey’s surface water drains and may even lead to flooding when it rains heavily.
Leaf blowers
As the growing season approaches, the authorities want to remind householders and garden contractors it’s illegal to litter the roads under a number of different laws. They are concerned that gardeners or contractors sometimes use leaf blowers to push garden debris from driveways into the road. The build-up can contribute to blockages in the surface water drains and increased flooding when it rains heavily.
People have a responsibility under the law to dispose of their waste in the right way – such as composting it themselves or taking it to the green waste depot at La Collette.
Environmental Protection at the Department of the Environment have written to approximately 80 gardening contractors asking them to ensure their staff dispose of the garden waste they produce responsibly.
Blocked drains
Minister for Planning and Environment, Deputy Steve Luce said “It doesn’t take many unthinking or irresponsible businesses or householders doing the wrong thing to cause a real problem. If garden waste is dumped or blown on to our roads it creates extra work for the parishes and TTS, and more public money wasted clearing blocked drains to prevent the risk of flooding. Please consider this and do the right thing with the waste you create."
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