The annual nationwide survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) of beaches and harbours has shown Tramore to be again ‘Clean to European Norms’, with Dungarvan failing to improve on the ‘moderately littered’ status it received last year.
Overall, litter levels are on the rise, with only 8 of 33 areas surveyed receiving the ‘Clean’ designation. Alongside its impact on tourism and recreation, IBAL is warning that coastal litter has grave implications for the future of our planet.
Tramore
The An Taisce report for Tramore stated: “Tramore was a fantastic site - not just in terms of the lack of litter but in the overall presentation of same - clearly there is great involvement by both the local authority and community groups - evidence of the latter can be seen 'litter picking' and the Tramore Eco Group 'Borrow Box' for beach toys. The promenade was very well served by litter bins and all aspects of the area surveyed were in excellent condition, including the lovely signage for 'fun family activities'. Additional features included the novel design for plastic bottles and can recycling.”
Dungarvan
The An Taisce report for Dungarvan stated: “The overall impression in the immediate area of Davitt Quay / Walton Park and associated pathways was of a well presented environment, enhanced by wonderful planting. A novel feature along Davitt Quay for the collection of plastic bottles appears to be well used. Visitor information notices, picnic table, street bins, signage, life-belts etc. all appeared to be in good order. The litter grade was brought down by casually discarded food and alcohol related items in Walton Park and there were some larger items within the water e.g. street cone and shopping trolley. Despite the provision of cigarette butt disposal facilities there was a very definite presence of same.”
Beaches, harbours, rivers and their immediate environs were monitored by An Taisce in June and July. While Tramore was again clean, many popular beaches slipped to ‘moderately littered’ status, among them Lahinch, Brittas Bay, Curracloe, Portmarnock, Strandhill and Clogherhead. Bundoran was again ‘littered’. By contrast, Salthill improved significantly.
“Unfortunately the improvement observed at our beaches last year seems to have reversed this time round,” commented IBAL’s Conor Horgan. “We had hoped that the decline in Covid-related litter might bring an improvement in overall cleanliness, added to the fact that many who staycationed last year would have travelled abroad this summer. Our most popular beaches are not heavily littered, but they’re not as clean as they should be.”
Covid-related litter on the decline … but not coffee cups
Unsurprisingly there was a fall-off in Covid masks and gloves found, but also in alcohol-related litter which was linked to lockdown. Coffee cups remained a significant litter item, however, present in half of the areas surveyed. The most common forms of litter found by the assessors were cigarette butts, sweet wrappers and plastic bottles.
“Every day it seems we hear more of the dire consequences which marine litter, much of it plastic, holds for our planet,“ adds Mr Horgan. “We need to impress on people that simple individual actions such as discarding a coffee cup – or even a cigarette butt - have implications which stretch beyond the local environment.”
With 10 million tonnes of plastic ending up in our oceans each year, it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans within 30 years. Research shows a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 200 litres of water.
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