Beach popular with Kilkenny visitors deemed 'moderately littered'
The latest litter survey by Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL) has classified the popular beach in Curracloe, County Wexford as 'moderately littered'.
The IBAL survey focused on various beaches, harbours and waterfront locations across the country.
Tramore beach in County Waterford, also very popular with Kilkenny tourists, was deemed 'clean to European norms'.
Other areas in the South-East classified as moderately littered include Kilmore Quay Harbour in Wexford and Dungarvan Harbour in Waterford.
Beaches including Dunmore East in County Waterford and Duncannon in County Wexford were not included in the survey.
Among the other areas nationwide branded ‘heavily littered’ were Cork Harbour at Blackrock Castle and Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock and Tolka River.
Alongside its impact on tourism and recreation, IBAL is warning that coastal litter has grave implications for the future of our planet.
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.”