Cork Harbour and White Bay beach 'heavily littered', survey finds

Research shows a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 200 litres of water.

A new countrywide survey on Ireland's beaches and harbours has found disappointing results, with Cork Harbour and White Bay beach deemed to be heavily littered.

The litter study by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows beaches which were clean during the last survey have deteriorated.

Just eight of the 33 areas surveyed by IBAL were deemed clean.

Grand Canal Dock in Dublin and White Bay beach in Cork are among some of the worst littered harbours and beaches.

Cork Harbour was also deemed to be heavily littered, although the efforts of community groups in Blackrock Castle were acknowledged.

An Taisce said evidence of land-based dumping and miscellaneous items including car tyres, construction signage, a rubber dinghy and a stroller contributed to the poor rating.

Annesley Bridge in Dublin was also found to be heavily littered — the survey showed "very high levels of casually discarded food and alcohol items" while the river bed harboured "long-lie items" such as shopping trolleys, scooters, clothing and traffic cones.

“It jars to see the neglected state of an area which has been the subject of millions of euros of investment and attracts so many business visitors. I don’t believe this would be allowed persist in other European capitals,” said IBAL's Conor Horgan.

Many popular beaches slipped to moderately littered status including Lahinch, Brittas Bay, Curracloe, Portmarnock, Strandhill and Clogherhead.

Tramore was once again found to be clean while Salthill had improved significantly as had Castletownbere in Cork and Dogs Bay in Galway.

"Unfortunately, the improvement observed at our beaches last year seems to have reversed this time round,” said Mr 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."

Coffee cups continue to be a significant litter item, present in half of the areas surveyed.

The most common forms of litter found by assessors were cigarette butts, sweet wrappers, and plastic bottles.

The business group warned that alongside its impact on tourism and recreation, coastal litter has grave implications for the future of the planet.

IBAL highlighted that the simple individual act of discarding a coffee cup or cigarette butt has implications that are felt far beyond the local environment.

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Research shows a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 200 litres of water.

Meanwhile, as 10m tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans each year, it is estimated there will be more plastic than fish in the sea within 30 years.