The latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) report is out and it sums up the local overview as ‘Kilkenny pipped, Carlow slips”.
Their survey of 40 towns and cities across the country shows Kilkenny ‘cleaner than European norms’ in a runner-up spot behind Naas while Carlow is listed among the ‘moderately littered’.
The An Taisce report for Kilkenny states; “Kilkenny, a former IBAL winner, has been consistently high-ranking, and things were no different this time around. With so many top ranking sites, there are a few which deserve a special mention. Kilkenny Train Station (Exterior and Interior) is clearly a very well managed environment (all aspects were in very good condition, and it was excellent with regards to litter), Market Cross Shopping Centre and Parliament Street – the latter is a very attractively presented streetscape with some lovely features e.g. paving, seating, hanging baskets and some ‘olde’ style shop fronts.”
And for Carlow; “A disappointing result for Carlow after recent improvement – a couple of survey sites just missed the top litter grade e.g. Tullow Street and Askea Church Carpark Bring Centre – not much effort is required for the latter to become top ranking. The heavily littered sites appeared to lack general maintenance / cleaning regime – e.g. Carlow Train Station, Riverbank (at Mr Price) and Mr Price. The Riverbank suffered from significant levels of alcohol related litter. Mr Price presented poorly with a general air of a heavy litter presence throughout.”
IBAL spokesperson Conor Horgan has been fleshing out the local results on The KCLR Daily;
Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Cllr Fergal Browne, however can’t understand the ranking when the county has done so well in other, similar competitions.
While Kilkenny County Council believes its result reinforces Kilkenny’s commitment to maintaining a litter-free environment that meets and exceeds high international standards.
Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Mick McCarthy notes; “This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. Our aim is not just to meet standards but to set them. By ensuring that Kilkenny remains a clean and attractive place, we are investing in the health and happiness of our community. We would like to thank all stakeholders, local businesses, and residents for their role in achieving this ranking. Together, we can continue to make Kilkenny a beautiful place to live and visit.”
Mayor of Kilkenny Municipal District, Cllr. Andrew McGuinness, commented on this achievement: “Our outstanding ranking is a testament to the dedication of our community and the hard work of Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny City Area Office staff and our voluntary groups including Keep Kilkenny Beautiful Committee in maintaining the beauty and cleanliness of Kilkenny City. We continuously strive to create a welcoming environment for both residents and visitors. It is heartening to see our efforts recognised, especially in areas like Kilkenny Train Station and Parliament Street, which have been noted for their exemplary management and presentation.”
Survey Overview
The organisation continues noting “Overall litter levels were on a par with 12 months ago. In all, 60% of the towns and cities surveyed were deemed ‘clean’.
On a positive note, 2024 saw a further fall in the number of sites within cities and towns that were deemed ‘litter blackspots’, which suggests that local authorities were generally more effective in tackling urban dumping and in addressing sites that IBAL had previously highlighted.
The survey also revealed a near-50% fall in the prevalence of plastic bottles and cans in the 500+ sites monitored since the Deposit Return Scheme was introduced last year.
“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,” says Conor Horgan. Sweet wrappers and fast-food wrappers were the most common litter types, ahead of plastic bags and coffee cups, which were present in over 20% of sites.
“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.”
Killarney, which outlawed disposable coffee cups in 2023, was one of the most improved towns last year, rising from 14th to 4th in the rankings. “Given the evident success of this initiative in Killarney, it is perplexing why other towns have not yet followed suit,” commented Conor Horgan.
The Dr. Tom Cavanagh Memorial Trophy will be presented to the Cathaoirleach of County Kildare Cllr. Kevin Duffy at Naas Library & Cultural Centre at noon today, Monday 6th Jan.
