Athlone and Mullingar are to face stiffer competition in this year’s IBAL Anti-Litter League, after 11 new additions were made to the list of towns to be assessed. The new additions, announced by Minister for the Environment John Gormley this week, bring the total areas to be surveyed for litter levels to 60.
In the latest round of the league, Mullingar finished in 17th place and was declared ‘litter free’, showing an improvement of 25 per cent since it entered the league in 2002.
Meanwhile, at 44th place, Athlone finished ‘moderately littered’ in the last round, a step down from the ‘litter free’ status it earned when it entered the league in 2004.
“2008 was a good year for Mullingar, finishing in 17th position. However Athlone, with a vibrant tourist economy, only finished in 44th. Tourist towns everywhere see the benefit in being clean. Tullamore had its worst result in 2008 and we hope that in 2009 it will do better,” commented chairman of Irish Business Against Litter, Dr Tom Cavanagh.
IBAL is warning that any fall-off in local litter services would jeopardise Ireland’s standing as a ‘green’ tourist destination this summer. “We can ill afford to let our standards slip at a time when our tourism product is under such strain. Having litter-free streets at weekends is a vital part of this product,” said Dr Cavanagh.
IBAL member John Power, of the Irish Hotels Federation, added: “From a wide range of factors that might influence the choice of a holiday destination, the most important in choosing Ireland are friendliness, scenery, an unspoilt environment, and the range of natural attractions. The presence of litter undermines the positive impact of each of these deciding factors.”
The new towns joining in the 2009 programme are Ashbourne, Celbridge, New Ross, Shannon, Newcastlewest, Tuam, Lucan, Blanchardstown, and Ballincollig in Cork.
IBAL first commissioned An Taisce to survey litter levels in towns and cities and rank them according to international standards in 2002. The first IBAL survey of seven years ago deemed only two Irish towns as ‘litter free’. At the end of 2008 that number had risen to 36, or two-thirds of all towns.
The first result of the 2009 Anti-Litter League will be published in June.
