The new Connswater Community Greenway is newly constructed and opened a short time ago at a cost of £40 million. It has come to light that tires, wooden pallets and other refuse material is being dumped there for use in the 11th night bonfire this July.

Belfast City Council have the power to remove this material and considering the cost of the newly opened greenway and the health and environmental risks posed by the accumilation and eventual burning of this material, they have a legal if not moral duty to do so.

Essentially this is fly tipping on a massive scale, punishable by a fine and possible court action. Belfast City Council need to enforce their authority and remove this material immediately.

This petition is not political in nature and it is the opinion of the original poster that the council should allocate specific areas for bonfires; areas that do not ruin the aesthetics of our city or place communities and the environment in potential danger.

The issue of bonfires within Northern Ireland is a hotly discussed debate and whilst those in favour of them will cite tradition as their mainstay argument; the environmental costs cannot be ignored. Nor can the opinion of those who view them as unsightly, dangerous and hostile.

As a city that is supposed to be looking and moving forward; destroying our public spaces and exuding division and aggression through burning tons of hazardous material stands contrary to this aim.