Dublin's Grand Canal Dock and the Tolka River at Annesley Bridge in Fairview have been branded "heavily littered".
The annual nationwide survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) of beaches and harbours has shown litter levels are on the rise, with only 8 of 33 areas surveyed deemed "Clean".
Portmarnock and Skerries beaches were moderately littered while Dun Laoghaire harbour and Killiney beach were "clean to European norms".
Alongside its impact on tourism and recreation, IBAL is warning that coastal litter has grave implications for the future of our planet.
Beaches, harbours, rivers and their immediate environs were monitored by An Taisce in June and July as part of the survey.
IBAL spokesperson Conor Horgan says the improvement observed at beaches last year seems to have reversed this time round;
"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."
IBAL coastal litter survey 2022*
|
Clean To European Norms |
|
|
Bray seafront |
Wicklow |
|
Dun Laoghaire harbour |
Dublin |
|
Keem beach |
Mayo |
|
Killiney beach |
Dublin |
|
Mountshannon (River Shannon) |
Clare |
|
Old Head beach |
Mayo |
|
Salthill beach |
Galway |
|
Tramore beach |
Waterford |
|
Moderately Littered |
|
|
Ballybunion beach |
Kerry |
|
Brittas Bay |
Wicklow |
|
Castletownbere harbour |
Cork |
|
Curracloe beach |
Wexford |
|
Clogherhead beach |
Louth |
|
Dog's Bay beach |
Galway |
|
Doolin pier and harbour |
Clare |
|
Dungarvan harbour |
Waterford |
|
Killybegs harbour |
Donegal |
|
Kilmore Quay harbour |
Wexford |
|
Lahinch beach |
Clare |
|
Portmagee harbour |
Kerry |
|
Portmarnock beach |
Dublin |
|
Skerries beach |
Dublin |
|
Strandhill beach |
Sligo |
|
Littered |
|
|
Ballinacurra |
Cork |
|
Bantry harbour |
Cork |
|
Bundoran beach |
Donegal |
|
Dingle harbour |
Kerry |
|
Kinsale harbour |
Cork |
|
Lough Rea (Loughrea) |
Galway |
|
Heavily Littered |
|
|
Annesley Bridge (River Tolka) |
Dublin |
|
Cork Harbour (Blackrock Castle) |
Cork |
|
Grand Canal Dock |
Dublin |
|
White Bay beach |
Cork |
