A north Clare tourism hotspot has seen a considerable improvement in litter levels in the past twelve months.
Last year, Doolin Pier was heavily criticised in the Irish Business Against Litter survey and was deemed to be a litter blackspot, but in a report published today, its status has been upgraded to ‘moderately littered’.
There was positive results for Lahinch in the survey too.
Over the course of the summer, An Taisce monitored 42 beaches, harbours and rivers, for the latest Irish Business Against Litter survey, while it found that just 16% are clean and that 14% were ‘littered’ or ‘heavily littered’.
Salthill in Galway has emerged as one of the cleanest beaches in the country, while here in Clare, Doolin Pier improved from a ‘litter blackspot’ twelve months ago, to ‘moderately litterered’ this year.
The report says there has been a considerable improvement in Doolin in the past twelve months, and notes that new bins have been installed for the separation of litter.
But it’s highlighted that cigarette butts were particularly prevalent at the queue for the ferry and has suggested that the provision of cigarette butt units could make a difference.
The overall impression created at Lahinch, meanwhile, was a positive one, with several opportunities for separating waste throughout the surveyed area.
The main litter items were food wrappers, chewing gum and cigarette butts, as well as sea borne items on the north end of the beach, like cans and plastic bottles and marine litter including fishing nets and pieces of wood or rope.
