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Litter levels in Dublin city worsened for the fourth survey in a row. Alamy Stock Photo

Deposit Return Scheme contributing to lower litter levels, says annual litter survey

There was around a 30% reduction in the level of cans found at 500 sites surveyed around the country.

LITTER LEVELS IN Ireland have dropped since the introduction of  the Deposit Return Scheme, an independent survey has found.

The annual litter survey, conducted by Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL), found that 23 out of 40 towns their visited were either cleaner than European norms or met European norms. There were overall lower litter levels when compared to last year.

The group has flagged that Dublin City Centre did not improve, despite the Deposit Return Scheme helping to reduce plastic bottles and cans by around 20% and 30%, respectively.

Naas in Co Kildare was the cleanest, according to the survey, while Dublin City Centre saw the fourth survey in succession where it has deteriorated when it comes to rubbish and little on the street.

“Our study paints a much better picture than a few years ago, with levels of cleanliness definitely rising,” IBAL’s Conor Horgan said.

“Once again, no town was judged to be either a ‘litter blackspot’ or ‘heavily littered’ – that’s real progress, progress that has been hard earned in our cities.”

Coffee cups, while down, were present in 1 of every 5 of the over 500 sites surveyed and beer bottles, which are not able to be returned, were found at 10% of all sites.

Horgan suggested that opening up the Deposit Return Scheme to glass bottles may help in curbing them being littered.

The most common piece of rubbish were cigarette butts, which the survey said remains “stubbornly high”, and appeared at 31% of all sites.

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    Mute Crocodylus Pontifex
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 6:43 PM

    R.I.P.D. is the worst movie ever filmed

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    Mute Niall O Loughlin
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 6:51 PM

    @Crocodylus Pontifex: Worse than Sabotage?

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    Mute Martin Galvin
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 7:04 PM

    @Crocodylus Pontifex: C’mon …. It’s not as bad as Mama Mia.

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 7:07 PM

    @Crocodylus Pontifex: you correct, I watch make me sleepy , worst movie

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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 7:36 PM

    @Crocodylus Pontifex: Ahh but have you seen Paul Blart: Mall Cop?

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    Mute Richard Cronin
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 8:01 PM

    Do not kid yourselves, the worst film to date is “Battlefield Earth 3000” it’s so bad that it takes a certain amount courage to watch it in full

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_Earth_(film)

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    Mute Adrian O Reilly
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 8:37 PM

    @Crocodylus Pontifex: curious to watch the movie now based on this comment

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    Mute Lorcan Barron
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    Feb 23rd 2021, 11:58 AM

    here we go again !

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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 7:39 PM

    Lawlor is to Ireland what Robert Carlyle is to Scotland.
    Very good actors .

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    Mute Jane Alford
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 7:43 PM

    Twister is not on RTE2 on Sunday. “Passenger” is listed.

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    Mute Greg Ward
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 9:40 PM

    @Jane Alford: It matters not. Chewing gum for the eyes.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 10:04 PM

    @Greg Ward: No thanks Ted

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    Mute DeeM
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is on Sky Atlantic tonight.. Excellent film and no mention of it in this article.

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    Mute D.B
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    Feb 22nd 2021, 10:01 PM

    In a quiet place

    good movie

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    Mute Carlin Ite
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    Feb 23rd 2021, 11:27 AM

    The Cured is well worth watching.

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