Wexford Town Maintains ‘Clean’ Status Amid Nationwide Litter Levels Remaining Stable

In the latest survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), Wexford town has been classified as “clean,” securing 22nd place out of 40 towns and cities monitored for litter levels. This marks a steady performance, despite a fall in plastic bottles and cans on the streets, a positive outcome of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). However, overall litter levels across Ireland remained unchanged from the previous year. Naas reclaimed its position as the cleanest town, marking its third win in four years, while Dublin North Inner City ranked at the bottom, earning the “seriously littered” status.

The survey, conducted by IBAL and An Taisce, found that Wexford’s ranking was affected by two significant litter blackspots: the Bring Facility at Tesco Extra and Rope Walk Car Park, both previously highlighted in earlier IBAL surveys with no significant improvements. However, notable clean areas in the town included Selskar Street, Westgate Park, and the Quay/Riverwalk, which were described as exceptionally clean and well-maintained. Despite these highlights, Wexford’s overall score was dampened by the presence of heavily littered sites.

Nationally, 60% of the towns and cities surveyed were deemed “clean,” with Galway replacing Waterford as the cleanest city. There were improvements in Limerick and Mahon in Cork, though some areas like Galway’s Ballybane and Dublin City Centre showed deterioration in their litter scores. The survey also highlighted a significant decrease in plastic bottle and can litter, down nearly 50%, thanks to the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme. Yet, common litter types such as sweet wrappers, fast-food wrappers, plastic bags, and coffee cups continue to be widespread, with over 20% of monitored sites containing these items.

IBAL’s Conor Horgan emphasized that while the DRS has helped reduce litter from plastic bottles and cans, more robust anti-litter measures are needed to address the broader litter problem. He stressed the importance of maintaining momentum on anti-litter legislation, citing the success of Killarney’s 2023 ban on disposable coffee cups, which led to a significant rise in the town’s ranking from 14th to 4th. As the government looks ahead, maintaining focus on environmental policies, such as a potential ban on disposable vapes and further legislation on litter, remains essential to tackling the ongoing issue of waste disposal.

Top 10 Cleanest Towns (2024 IBAL Anti-Litter League):