New legislation is to be drafted to tackle the issue at black spots around the country.
Yesterday Cabinet ministers approved the general scheme of the Circular Economy Bill.
This includes plans to allow local authorities to use CCTV and other tech to monitor illegal dumping blackspots.
It's hoped this would deter people from dumping their waste in forests, bogs, mountains and other beauty spots.
Labour Senator Mark Wall says the issue is costing local authorities millions each year to clean up.
The government insists that any tech that may be used must be compliant with data protection laws.
But Liam Herrick from The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has raised concerns:
The Government is to draft the new legislation first with the hopes that the new laws would clamp down on littering and dumping