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Portmarnock in Dublin was among the beaches that deteriorated to ‘littered’ status. Alamy Stock Photo

No litter 'blackspots' recorded by survey but majority of beaches still deemed not clean

Disposable vapes were revealed as a ‘rapidly’ emerging form of litter, encountered in 1 in 7 of all visits to beaches.

A NEW SURVEY has revealed that the majority of the country’s beaches are falling short of a clean bill of health, despite the unsettled summer meaning lower visitor numbers.

However, the annual survey of 33 coasts and inland waterways by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) still showed that the most littered areas have cleaned up over the past year – with no ‘blackspots’ recorded for the first time. 

It also found a “rapid emergence” in disposable vapes across beaches.  

While there was a 50% rise in clean sites overall, the survey again found our coastal areas to be more littered than our towns, which IBAL researches as part of its Anti-Litter League programme.

Beaches, harbours, rivers and their immediate environs were monitored by An Taisce in June and July.

Popular beaches at Portmarnock in Dublin and Lahinch in Co Clare deteriorated to ‘littered’ status, as did Dog’s Bay in Galway.

Elsewhere, Bundoran in Donegal, Ballybunion in Kerry, Fingal’s Skerries and Strandhill in Sligo were deemed ‘moderately littered’.

Clean beaches included Tramore in Co Waterford, Dublin’s Killiney and Galway’s Salthill.

Brittas Bay in Co Wicklow and Curracloe in Co Wexford both improved on last year.

Grand Canal Dock in Dublin among the areas improving from ‘heavily littered’ to being judged as ‘moderately littered’.

“Over an unsettled summer, where our beaches attracted far fewer numbers than normal, one might have expected the majority to be virtually free of litter,” Conor Horgan of IBAL said. 

“Unfortunately, this does not reflect the state of our coastal environment. There is much ‘long lie’ litter and waste coming in from the sea, and this is compounded by litter from those who continue to frequent our coastline despite the inclement weather.”

Blackspots

For the first time since IBAL commenced its coastal surveys in 2017, no area was deemed a litter blackspot.

Blackrock Castle (Cork Harbour), a blackspot in previous IBAL surveys, improved to littered, as did White Bay in Cork and the Tolka River at Annesley Bridge in Dublin.

“Volunteers such as the Blackrock Clean up Group and Clean Coasts Ballynamona at White Bay have seen their trojan work in recent years bear fruit in this study. There appears to be stronger collaboration between these groups and the relevant local authority in targeting these areas,” Horgan said. 

The disappearance of litter blackspots around our coasts mirrors a trend evident also in IBAL’s survey of towns and cities, the group said.

“An obvious starting point in cleaning up our country is to target the most littered areas. This is clearly happening,” Horgan said.

Rise of the vapes

Disposable vapes were revealed as an emerging form of litter, encountered in 1 in 7 of all visits, making them significantly more common on our beaches than on our streets.

“This time last year we were not seeing this form of litter at all, so its rapid emergence is worrying. So, too, is its impact on our environment,” warned Horgan.

IBAL favours the banning of disposable vapes, which, it contends, run counter to the notion of a circular economy, stating that vapes contain electronics, chemical waste and single-use plastic which breaks down into microparticles, endangering sea life.

“Coastal litter is unsightly and unhygienic, and deters visitors to our shores. Less evident, but more disturbing, is its impact on our sea life, which in turn threatens the very sustainability of our planet,” Horgan said. 

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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Nov 12th 2023, 8:40 PM

    Contributors should remember that it is a money diary and not an actual minute by minute account of your day. For instance no need for things like I took the dog for a walk, I milked the cows, I went to the gym etc etc. They are long and boring enough with no need to pad it out.

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    Mute Emer Daly
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    Nov 12th 2023, 8:57 PM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: I like hearing about people’s day to day though aswell as what they spend on.

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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Nov 12th 2023, 9:23 PM

    @Emer Daly: but it’s a daily money diary , not a daily blog! We have enough to worry about or gloat over in our own daily lives. Also how many are actually factual?

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    Mute Jason Memail
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    Nov 12th 2023, 9:56 PM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: “everything I don’t like is fake”

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    Mute Emer Daly
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    Nov 12th 2023, 10:30 PM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: I know but it’d be very short if it was only about money spent. I dunno but I look forward to these diaries.

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    Mute Maniac 2000
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    Nov 12th 2023, 11:13 PM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: the journal want information on what you do during the day. Makes it interesting and relatable

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    Mute
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    Nov 13th 2023, 12:11 AM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: Boring!

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    Mute Ryan O'Rourke'Glynn
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    Nov 13th 2023, 12:54 AM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: don’t read them then?

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    Mute offside again
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    Nov 12th 2023, 8:28 PM

    I spend as little as possible. I’m not mean, it’s just the way it was back when I was young. So it wouldn’t be an interesting diary ..
    There wasn’t such a variety of stuff to spend money on either.

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    Mute Ron Burgundy
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    Nov 13th 2023, 12:45 AM

    @offside again: there’s a lad on boards.ie that was due a free bottle of honey, cheap sh.te less that €2 and he drove to six different Lidls until he found one that had it in stock. Guy is all over freebies on every bargain alert thread, like a cheap suit. He got laughed out of it over there but I’d love to see his money diary here for the cringe factor laugh.

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    Mute
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    Nov 13th 2023, 1:59 AM

    @Ron Burgundy: there’s a big overlap of the r@tards from boards and the mong0s on the journal

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    Mute Antóin Ó Cumamothóin
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    Nov 12th 2023, 9:43 PM

    I was hoping to save up a few grand by next spring, but it’s looking uncertain now that my usual clientele have outsourced most escorting jobs to the Ukrainians.

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    Mute ubeenfamed
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    Nov 12th 2023, 8:22 PM

    Comment test . Comment test

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    Mute
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    Nov 12th 2023, 10:15 PM

    @ubeenfamed: One.. Two… One.. Two… I think we’re good Jim.

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    Mute Tommy Haze
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    Nov 12th 2023, 11:18 PM

    Make a budget at the start of the year then stick as close to it as you can.
    And remember..
    Every copper a prisoner.

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    Mute
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    Nov 13th 2023, 12:10 AM

    @Tommy Haze: Mind the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves, Tommy lad!

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    Mute S Badger
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    Nov 13th 2023, 8:04 AM

    I hope to go away this “spending season”. Don’t care where though, but wish to get away from this force fed spending atmosphere. I can barely keep the lights on, yet I work hard, full time. Call me a grinch, I can’t stand this time of year.

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    Mute
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    Nov 12th 2023, 10:27 PM

    There does be some right miserable feckers on this money diary thing wouldn’t spent a penny never see them buying drink or smokes or a big loan of scratch cards

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Nov 13th 2023, 9:19 AM

    Ha ha but only someone who is tight with money would keep a money diary in the first place.
    Do you think someone who throws money around on drink, smokes and scratch cards would actually have the discipline to keep one?

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Nov 13th 2023, 10:59 AM

    I would honestly be too scared to do this.. I have no idea how much I spend a week and I don’t want to know either.

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    Mute
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    Nov 13th 2023, 8:03 PM

    I’m buying nothing. There you go. You’re welcome

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    Mute
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    Nov 13th 2023, 8:06 PM

    Is Jesus Birthday not spending season. Ssshh don’t mention religion lads

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