Galway County Council

Home

Site breadcrumb trail...

Environmental Services

What do we do?
The Environment Unit deals with waste management, environmental awareness and education, environmental enforcement, litter
management, water quality monitoring, noise & air pollution, burial grounds, blue flag beaches, derelict sites, caravan & camping parks, abandoned vehicles, control of dogs and animal welfare.

Where to find us?
Environment Unit,
2nd Floor,
Centre Point,
Liosbaun Business Park,
Galway.

Please use the following postal address:
Environment Unit,
C/o Galway County Council,
Áras an Chontae,
Prospect Hill,
Galway.

How to Contact us?
Mon - Fri 9.00am - 4.00pm

What do we do?

The Environment Unit deals with waste management, environmental awareness and education, environmental enforcement, litter
management, water quality monitoring, noise & air pollution, burial grounds, blue flag beaches, derelict sites, caravan & camping parks, abandoned vehicles, control of dogs and animal welfare.

Where to find us?
Environment Unit,
2nd Floor, Centre Point,
Liosbaun Business Park,
Galway.

Please use the following postal address:
Environment Unit,
C/o Galway County Council,
Áras an Chontae,
Prospect Hill, Galway.

How to Contact us?

How to make an Environmental Complaint
A complaint can be made in relation to any of the following:

To make a complaint contact:
Tel: 091 476402
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Provision of Burial Grounds
The Council welcomes partnership with local communities who carry out development works themselves with the aid of assistance from the Council. The provision and extension of a burial ground is
subject to planning regulations.

Burial Ground Maintenance Grant
Voluntary groups can make an application for maintenance grants not exceeding  €1,000 in respect of expenditure on burial ground maintenance.

To find out more on the provision and maintenance of burial
grounds contact:
Tel: 091 476476E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Recycling of Waste
Galway County Council operates recycling centres at Clifden, Tuam, and Ballinasloe. Items such as glass, electrical goods, household hazardous waste, plastic etc can be recycled at the Recycling Centres. Please phone the phone number listed to check what items are recycled.

Recycling Centres

Recycling Centre

 		 Location

Opening Times

 		 Contact
Clifden Civic
 Recycling
Centre 		 Galway
Road,
Clifden		 Mon & Sat:
8.30am - 4.30pm
(Except Bank
Holidays)		 095 30958
Tuam Civic
Recycling
Centre 		Athenry
Road,
Tuam		 Mon - Thurs:
8.30am - 4.30pm
Fri & Sat:
8.30am - 4.00pm		 093 26438

Ballinasloe
Recycling
Centre

 Poolboy
Landfill,
Ballinasloe		  Tues,
Thurs & Sat:
8.30am - 4.30pm
(Except Bank
holidays)		   09096 44533

Bring Banks
The Council currently has 92 bring bank sites for the recycling of glass and beverage cans around the County.

To find out where your nearest bring bank is contact:
Tel: 091 476402
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Waste Licences & Permits
A waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required for large scale waste activities. Smaller activities require a waste permit from the Council instead.

Waste Collector Permits
If you are using the services of a private waste collector always check that they hold a valid waste collectors permit. It is an offence for members of the public to give waste to collectors who do not have a waste collectors permit.

For more information on waste permits contact:
Tel: 091 476479
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

County Environment Awards
We organise a County Environment Awards Scheme each year to recognise and reward the efforts of voluntary groups around the County who make an effort to improve the environment around them. The scheme is advertised usually in May / June where entries are invited. Each entry is inspected and awards are given on the basis of effort and endeavour.

To find out more about these awards contact:
Tel: 091 476492
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Anti-Litter Initiatives
We co-fund local public education and awareness initiatives against litter. Members of the public, both individuals and groups, are invited (usually in August/September) to propose suitable anti-litter projects for funding. The maximum grant allocated per project may be up to 70% of the overall cost, with the balance being met by way of local contribution.

To find out how to get involved contact:
Tel: 091 476485E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

National Spring Clean
We actively participate with An Tasice National Spring Clean initiative to provide support and encouragement to communities to become involved in local clean-ups.

To organise or get involved in a cleanup contact:
Tel: 091 476485E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Spring Clean

Green Schools
Green-Schools is an international initiative designed to encourage and acknowledge a schools role in the environment. Green-Schools offer a way for schools to encourage and apply environmental practices to the day-to-day running of the school. Green-Schools is both a programme and an award scheme. The programme can be adopted by any school using certain guidelines. The award will be given to schools that complete the 7 steps of the programme.

To find out how your school can get involved contact:
Tel: 091 476485
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Green Flag
Composting
Home composting is a very economical way of reducing the amount of waste that you send to landfill. Organic waste suitable for
composting includes fruit, raw vegetables peelings, teabags, and egg shells. Home composters are available from us at a small cost.

To find out more about composting contact:
Tel: 091 476478
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Tidy Towns
We provide assistance to Tidy Town Groups to assist them with their performance in the National Tidy Towns Competition. As well as working with specific groups, we also organise events which benefit all tidy towns groups across the County.

If your group would like to get more information on Tidy Towns
contact:
Tel: 091 476402
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Blue Flag Beaches
The Blue Flag is awarded to beaches and marinas that meet a specific set of criteria, including environmental information and
education, water quality, safety and services and environmental management.

To find out which beaches currently have Blue Flag status
contact:
Tel: 091 476492
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Green Coast Award
The Green Coast Award is a new award which compliments the Blue Flag Award. It acknowledges beaches which meet EU bathing water quality standards, but which are also prized for their natural, unspoilt environment. The award also recognises community involvement in coastal management and allows for the fact that some beaches may not have the level of infrastructure and intensive management usually associated with more urban, traditional seaside resort.

To learn more about the Green Coast Award
contact:
Tel: 091 476492
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Dangerous Structures & Places
The Council is empowered to deal with places or structures which pose a danger or are likely to pose a danger to the public or other property. A Notice may be served on the owner of such places/structures requiring works to be carried out.

To find out more contact:
Tel: 091 476402
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Licensing of Caravan & Camping Sites
We issue licences annually in respect of sites operating as caravan and camp sites. The applications are assessed to ensure that the sites are of the required standard.

To find out more contact:
Tel: 091 476481
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Licensing of Dangerous Substances
The Council is also empowered to issue licences to premises which sell dangerous substances and this primarily covers petrol stations.

To find out more contact:
Tel: 091 476402
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Control and Abatement of Derelict Sites
The Council is obliged to establish and maintain a register of derelict sites. All reports of dereliction are investigated and where ownership can be established, notice is served to carry out works to correct the dereliction.

To find out more contact:
Tel: 091 476481
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/

Animal Welfare
Our veterinary services are responsible for animal welfare in a number of areas including:

Every year in Galway, there are many attacks on sheep by dogs, particularly around lambing time. If you own a dog or dogs, you are required, under legislation to:

Sheep & lamb

To get more information on Animal Welfare contact:
Veterinary Service
Tel: 091 476496
E mail: vetservice@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/VeterinaryServices/

Control of Dogs
Our Dog Wardens carry out various duties including:

How to get a Dog Licence
A Dog Licence can be obtained from your Local Post Office.

To find out more about the control of Dogs contact:
Tel: 091 476496
E mail: vetservice@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/VeterinaryServices/

Or contact the Dog Warden for County Galway:
Mr. Nicholas Byrne                         087 6993422

Other Environmental Services

The following are also available from the Environment Unit:

To find out more about these please contact:

Tel: 091 476402
E mail: environment@galwaycoco.ie
Web: www.galway.ie/en/Services/Environment/