Area makes significant improvement in the IBAL Business Litter survey
By Aideen O'Flaherty
TALLAGHT was rated as being clean by European norms in the latest national litter survey by Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL) – marking a significant improvement from when the suburb was described as a “litter blackspot” in the same survey in 2010.
Tallaght came 24th out of 40 places nationally that were assessed as part of the survey, with eight out of the 11 areas in Tallaght that were inspected in the survey receiving Grade A litter free status.
A pond in Sean Walsh Park received a Grade D
Areas that received Grade A status include the Old Bawn Road, Belgard Square South, Abberley Square South, Tallaght Leisure Centre, Tallaght Village, Belgard Square East, The Square’s carpark and Kiltipper Close and Avenue.
Westpark received a Grade B rating, with the findings of the survey stating that the area “was good with regard to litter, but there were isolated areas which brought down the overall litter grade”, while the recycling facility at Tallaght Leisure received a Grade C as items had been left on the ground at the base of the bins.
A pond in Sean Walsh Park, located near the council depot at the Whitestown Way entrance to the park, received a Grade D rating.
While this rating was presented along with the findings that the area surrounding the pond was clear of litter and they described the park as possessing “a lovely park environment”, they said this was “let down by the very heavy levels of ‘long lie’ litter”, stating that “all manner of food, mineral and alcohol related items were to be seen in the water”.
John Kiberd from Tallaght Litter Mugs, who carry out monthly clean-ups in Sean Walsh Park, told The Echo: “The pond near the depot is silted and is in very bad [condition], but otherwise I think the park has never looked better, in my view.
“The people working in the council depot put in a huge amount of work to clean up the park before we got our Green Flag, and they’ve kept it up.”
The park was awarded a Green Flag, which is awarded in recognition of achieving quality standards for the presentation of parks and recreation facilities, last July.
Commenting on the overall findings of the nationwide survey, a spokesperson for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, said: “A single act of littering takes only a moment, but it is not a victimless crime as some perceive to be the case.
“It impacts on business and on communities. It damages the general perception and reputation of Ireland as a beautiful and clean environment in which to live, or to visit.
“Items of litter do not simply disappear into thin air – they have to be dealt with and this has a significant cost in terms of time, money, and resources for businesses and for local authorities alike.”
