Mixed results in litter league
There’s been mixed results for Cork in the latest litter league, the results of which were announced this morning.
The latest litter survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows last year’s winner Fermoy is again cleaner than European norms alongside Midleton. The two towns are the highest placing areas in Cork at 10 and 12 repectively.
Cork city centre is clean, improving one place to 19th in the ranking of 40 towns and cities nationwide, but both Mahon and Cork’s northside remain ‘littered’ despite some improvement.
The survey also revealed that Ireland’s principal tourist towns and cities are cleaner than ever as the peak season for visitors approaches. Kilkenny topped the rankings, with Ballymun in Dublin a litter blackspot at the foot of the table.
The An Taisce report for Cork City Centre stated:
“Another great result for our second largest city, with only two heavily littered sites, at Highfield Avenue and Lee Car Park. Some sites deserve special mention like Fitzgerald Park. It was exceptionally well presented and maintained with a complete absence of litter throughout. The Lough was in very good order, UCC maintains the high ranking of previous surveys (as is fitting for a Green Campus Flag site), many of the city centre streets were attractively paved and this helped created a fresh impression. Top ranking city centre streets included Grand Parade, St Patrick’s Street, Parnell Place, Corn Market Street and Ship Street.”
The Fermoy report said:
“One heavily littered site, the recycling facility in the car park at the end of Patrick Street, brought Fermoy down the rankings. It was in a very poor state and didn’t get like this overnight. By contrast, Fermoy Town Park was an exceptional site. It has been beautifully laid out and is clearly a very well managed and respected environment. The River Walk by Thomas Ashe Quay was another excellent site with a lovely riverside environment with seating, it was very good with regard to litter.”
Midleton:
“Seven out of the ten sites surveyed in Midleton earned the top litter grade, placing the town towards the top of the IBAL table with no seriously littered sites. Two of the top ranking sites surveyed were in natural settings, Ballyannan Woodland Walk and Riverside Way. Both were sensitively presented and maintained. Market Green Shopping Centre was exceptionally well presented and maintained with a complete absence of litter throughout.”
Mahon:
“Mahon has failed to improve since first featuring in the League couple of years ago. Top ranking sites included Loch Mahon, City Gate Park and Blackrock Castle Car Park and its environs. These were all in very good condition as well as scoring well with regard to litter. The derelict site at Lakelands View was not just a litter blackspot but in a shocking state. The area to the rear has been used as a dumping ground, one of the worst found in IBAL surveys. Two residential areas were seriously littered, Lakeland Crescent and The Maples. The latter saw a slight improvement on previous IBAL surveys.”
Northside of Cork city:
“The general impression of the northside is one of improvement, with evidence of clean-ups. Some long lie is still evident while the growth of vegetation is hiding a certain amount of the litter. Improvements noted at North Ring Road, Link Road between Dublin Hill and Ballyhooley Road, Red Forge Road and Spring Lane. While there are no litter blackspots, there is still a striking absence of clean sites.”