Athlone was only beaten by Kilkenny in the annual IBAL survey.
Four midlands towns are ranked in the top fifteen for cleanliness in Ireland.
Athlone sits at two, Portlaoise at four, Mullingar at eleven and Tullamore is 14th in the annual Irish Business Against Litter survey.
That means all are clean to European norms, with Athlone and Portlaoise cleaner than the European average.
IBAL work with An Taisce to monitor Irish towns in accordance with European standards to prepare the table each year.
The rise in litter levels this year is across the board,” says IBAL’s Conor Horgan. “The Covid crisis has seen more dumping, more outdoor socialising, especially drinking, and PPE litter, but less cleaning by local authorities and less activity by volunteers like Tidy Towns - a perfect storm, in many ways, which has brought us to the worst position we’ve been in in over 10 years.”
In the fight against Covid-19, local authorities have curtailed cleaning schedules and diverted resources to other areas. At the same time, households have been generating more litter during lockdown and there has been a visible increase in drinking outdoors as pubs are closed, a fact borne out by the rise in bottles and cans found by the An Taisce inspectors, Galway City being one example. However, there was a reduction in cigarette butts, perhaps also a reflection of pubs and offices being closed. Half of all recycle facilities surveyed were heavily littered, another likely consequence of the Covid crisis.
PPE litter was prevalent across the country, with masks 5 times as common as gloves. “Understandably, people are reluctant to pick up these items for fear of contracting Covid, so they tend to stay on the ground. We need to see a rapid rise in the use of reusable masks,” says Conor Horgan.
The number of very bad sites within towns explained the overall deterioration in cleanliness. “It is a source of particular frustration that those sites which we had identified last year as heavily littered were – for the most part - not cleaned up in the interim.” Of 61 sites described as either heavily littered or blackspots in 2019, fewer than 40% were clean in this latest survey. “We’ve been saying for years that the most immediate way to improve a town or city is to focus on the bad areas - clearly this is not being done.”
“In these exceptional times, when councils’ resources are stretched, civic responsibility is called for more than ever,” says Conor Horgan. “The mantra ‘we’re all in this together’ extends to the proper disposal of waste, not least waste that is prone to contamination. With fewer people available or willing to pick up litter, the message has to be ‘don’t litter in the first place.’”
2020 IBAL ANTI-LITTER LEAGUE – ROUND 1
|
Position |
Area |
Classification |
|
1 |
Kilkenny |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
2 |
Athlone |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
3 |
Killarney |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
4 |
Portlaoise |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
5 |
Maynooth |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
6 |
Ennis |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
7 |
Roscommon |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
8 |
Fermoy |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
9 |
Waterford City Centre |
Cleaner than European Norms |
|
10 |
Newbridge |
Clean to European Norms |
|
T11 |
Castlebar |
Clean to European Norms |
|
T11 |
Mullingar |
Clean to European Norms |
|
13 |
Dublin Airport Environs |
Clean to European Norms |
|
14 |
Tullamore |
Clean to European Norms |
|
15 |
Tralee |
Clean to European Norms |
|
16 |
Letterkenny |
Clean to European Norms |
|
17 |
Cork City Centre |
Clean to European Norms |
|
18 |
Sligo |
Clean to European Norms |
|
T19 |
Bray |
Clean to European Norms |
|
T19 |
Ranelagh |
Clean to European Norms |
|
21 |
Drogheda |
Clean to European Norms |
|
22 |
Waterford City - Ballybeg |
Clean to European Norms |
|
23 |
Cavan |
Clean to European Norms |
|
24 |
Longford |
Moderately littered |
|
25 |
Monaghan |
Moderately littered |
|
26 |
Limerick City Centre |
Moderately littered |
|
27 |
Galway City Centre |
Moderately littered |
|
28 |
Dundalk |
Moderately littered |
|
29 |
Mahon - Cork City |
Moderately littered |
|
30 |
Gorey |
Moderately littered |
|
31 |
Navan |
People are being asked to be aware of how they dispose of facemasks, after the publication of the survey.
There's been a
More from Midlands News
-
Famous Laois Cinema Could Be Renovated Into Enterprise Centre
The local authority is currently finalising the purchase of the building.
-
Laois Fitness Expert Warns Of Burnout
She says overtraining can cause burnout.
-
Laois Walks Festival Returns With Over 20 Trails
All levels of walkers can take part.
-
Five Severely Neglected Dogs Rescued By ISPCA in Laois
The national office of the ISPCA rescued five Cavachons in Portlaoise with the help of Gardaí.
-
Gardaí Attend Scene Of Laois Crash
The crash involved two cars.
-
Westmeath Pride Festival Returns This Weekend
The events are starting earlier this year.
-
Laois TD Holds No Confidence In HIQA's Safeguarding Policies
It follows the release of Nursing Homes footage.
-
Midlands Get Status Yellow Thunderstorm Warnings
There's warnings of heavy downpours with thunderstorms.
-
Westmeath Woman Fears Release Of McCann Suspect
She alleges she was raped by the man.
-
Laois Farmer Elected Vice Chair Of European Agri-Lobby Group
He will campaign as part of the Copa-Cogeca beef group.
-
Midlands Communities Meeting Over Proposed Bellair Windfarm
The meeting is taking place in Moate this evening.
-
Gardaí Appeal For Witnesses Following Crash in Westmeath
A vehicle caused a crash in Athlone last Thursday before continuing towards Birr.
-
Midlands Shop Served Closure Order Over Food Contamination
Stop 'n Shop on Tullow Street was one of ten businesses that was served the order in May.
-
Gardaí Involved In "Controlled Delivery" Of Arms To Carlow Town Shooter
A Dail committee heard from the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris yesterday.
-
Closing Speeches Conclude In Trial Of Four Members Of Jozef Puska’s Family
They are accused of withholding information regarding the investigation into Ashling Murphy’s murder.
-
Westmeath Quantity Surveyor Named On Revenue Tax Defaulters List
She received a three and a half year sentence.
-
Jozef Puska’s Sisters-In-Law's Barristers Urges Jury To Acquit
They’re accused of assisting him.
-
New Day Case Arthroplasty Programme In Offaly Hospital
This will help patients undergoing joint replacement surgery.
-
New Pedestrian And Cycle Bridge In Westmeath
The project is funded under the Active Travel Investment Programme.
-
Laois Business Temporarily Closes
The chip shop says their sister branch on Main Street in Portlaoise is still open.