Waterford emerged as Ireland’s only clean city, classed as ‘Clean to European Norms’, in the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) Anti Litter League table for 2021.
The report said Waterford City topped the list by a “long shot”, adding “what is so striking about the top performing sites is not just the lack of litter but the overall presentation and maintenance of same.”
Areas such as Plunkett Train Station, People’s Park, Medieval Triangle / Cultural Quarter, Bus Eireann Station (The Quays) and the grounds of Waterford Courthouse, were regarded as excellent sites, were well maintained and a complete absence of litter was noted throughout.
Waterford City topped the list by a “long shot”
The car park opposite People’s Park had been a heavily littered site over several previous IBAL surveys, however, it was observed that a substantial clean-up had taken place.
Other sites which performed very well included the “beautifully paved / pedestrianised” Michael Street, the Tramore approach road, and Kilbarry Nature Park which provided “dedicated novel bins for plastic bottles, a poop and scoop facility” with a virtual absence of litter along the 2km pathway — however litter and dog fouling was noted in the viewing area which brought the Park’s litter rating from an A to a B+.
instilling younger generations with a sense of pride
Fergus Galvin, Director of Services with Waterford City and County Council said it was a great accolade for the city. “There has been great investment from local schools, voluntary committees and business communities and that commitment has resulted in Waterford topping the cleanest city table.”
“Environmental awareness initiatives such as the anti-litter challenge for secondary schools, tackling single-use plastics, Picker Pals, and the Gum Litter Task Force have paid dividends, by not only helping keep public realm spaces spotless, but also instilling younger generations with a sense of pride.”
