Dublin city centre and north inner city the two most littered places in Ireland
Dublin's city centre and north inner city are the two most littered places in the country, according to the latest IBAL litter survey. And the anti-litter watchdog adds that Dublin's dismal results is further proof that the new bin bag ban is desperately needed. The survey also found that, despite a significant drop in bottles and cans being littered due to the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme, litter levels nationwide did not fall in 2024. Blanchardstown took home the title of the cleanest area in Dublin in the survey, being deemed cleaner than the European average and ranking sixth of the 40 locales studied. Dublin Airport and its surrounding areas slotted into midtable in 24th, while Tallaght and Ballymun were deemed moderately littered in 30th and 34th respectively. The city centre was in the littered category, while the north inner city was all by itself with the dubious title of seriously littered. The pair ranked 38th and 39th in the last survey in June, but both have been jumped by the previously basement-dwelling Galway inner city.
The full results of the latest IBAL survey
A number of major areas of concern in Dublin were highlighted in the survey conducted by An Taisce. "Vast quantities of loose food and alcohol related litter had been discarded" near Emmet Road, while Sherrard Street Upper suffered from “bags of domestic rubbish, the contents of which have been ripped open and scattered about”. Another black spot was Crinian Strand, a short stretch of residential housing “with large household items e.g. mattresses / furniture discarded along the pavement, along with at least a dozen black sacks of rubbish – the contents of which were being scavenged by seagulls.” Naas topped the table overall and was deemed the cleanest town for the third time in four years, while Galway took the title of cleanest city away from Waterford. “These findings strengthen the case for the ban on bag bins in Dublin City,” says Conor Horgan of IBAL. “We’ve been saying for years that the use of bags for waste collection has been an impediment to progress in the Capital on a number of fronts. The ban can bring about a step change, but its impact will hinge on proper enforcement.” The ban came into force in the south inner city last week, with an extension north of the Liffey planned for the summer. The survey also revealed a near-50 per cent fall in the prevalence of plastic bottles and cans in the 500+ sites monitored since the Deposit Return Scheme was introduced last year. Mr Horgan added: “We are definitely seeing cans and bottles disappear from our streets, which is very welcome – not only are they unsightly, but the bottles contribute to the very real problem of plastic pollution. However, it is clear from our survey that people continue to discard a wide range of litter types with flagrant disregard for their surroundings. “The DRS was one of a number of structural measures broached by the last government as part of its environmental agenda, with knock-on benefits in terms of litter. A ban on disposable vapes and a coffee cup levy were others. “The need for such measures is evident in the stubbornly low penetration levels of refillable coffee cups and the proliferation of highly damaging vape litter, which cannot be recycled. If we are to see sustainable improvement nationwide, it is important that the incoming regime maintain the momentum on anti-litter legislation.” For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
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