Cans and bottles on streets down 50% since start of return scheme, but overall litter persists 

Under the Deposit Return Scheme anyone who buys a drink will pay a small deposit for the plastic bottle or can container. Customers get their money back when they return the container to a retailer or other collection point to be recycled. File Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

The number of cans and bottles littering streets has fallen by nearly 50% since the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme, but the general problem of litter remains, new findings show.

People are continuing to show a “flagrant disregard for their surroundings”, the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) said.

The latest survey of 40 towns and cities across Ireland by the group shows fewer blackspots across the country, but the business group warned the next Government must follow up on further anti-litter measures in the future.

“The need for such measures is evident in the stubbornly low penetration levels of refillable coffee cups and the proliferation of highly damaging vape litter, which cannot be recycled,” the group’s Conor Horgan said.

“If we are to see sustainable improvement nationwide, it is important that the incoming regime maintain the momentum on anti-litter legislation.”

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In the survey, Naas was named as Ireland’s cleanest town with Dublin’s north inner city bottom of the pile as areas such as Dublin City centre, Cork’s northside, and the south and centre of Limerick City were deemed to be “littered”.

Three in five of the areas surveyed were found to be clean, with Galway replacing Waterford as the cleanest city.

Support for ban

Sweet wrappers and fast-food wrappers were the most common litter types found, ahead of plastic bags and coffee cups — which were found in over 20% of sites.

In Dublin, the business group said its findings support the case for a ban on bag bins that was introduced in the south inner city with the northside set to follow suit in the summer. However, it said its impact would hinge on proper enforcement.

In terms of the Deposit Return Scheme, which began in February 2024, the Irish Business Against Litter said it had been successful in reducing the prevalence of bottle and cans littering the streets.

Mr Horgan said: “We are definitely seeing cans and bottles disappear from our streets, which is very welcome.

"Not only are they unsightly, but the bottles contribute to the very real problem of plastic pollution.

“However, it is clear from our survey that people continue to discard a wide range of litter types with flagrant disregard for their surroundings.” 

The most improved town in the survey was Killarney, which rose from 14th to fourth place. It comes after the Kerry town outlawed disposable coffee cups in 2023.

“Given the evident success of this initiative in Killarney, it is perplexing why other towns have not yet followed suit,” Mr Horgan added.