New Year Blow As Wicklow Town Falls In Latest IBAL Litter Rankings

After years of top ten placings in the IBAL league table, a blow for Wicklow town

Wicklow town has dropped in the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) rankings, falling from 9th to 20th place, although it remains classified as clean.

The 2025 survey, conducted by An Taisce on behalf of IBAL, noted that while areas such as Westmount Court, the River Walk, and the town centre car park continue to perform well, there were fewer top-ranking sites overall.

The derelict site at The Murrough, associated with the proposed Wicklow Enterprise Park, was highlighted as the most heavily littered location. Inspectors also warned that temporarily closed sites, including Wicklow Gaol, could attract litter if not properly managed.

On a brighter note, the town centre welcomed the new “Wicklow Wander Walls” project, featuring interactive QR codes.

Across the country, Sligo has topped the IBAL rankings for the first time, finishing ahead of Leixlip, Westport, and Monaghan. The number of towns deemed clean rose to 28 this year. Waterford reclaimed the title of Ireland’s cleanest city, followed by Galway, while Cork city centre was also rated clean. Ten of the thirteen surveyed urban areas showed improvements in cleanliness compared to last year.

IBAL’s Conor Horgan praised progress in socially disadvantaged areas, pointing to improvements in Dublin’s inner city as a sign that local authority investments are beginning to pay off.

The survey also highlighted the continued positive effect of the Deposit Return Scheme, with cans and plastic bottles 10% less common than in 2024 and 60% less prevalent since the scheme’s launch. However, coffee cups remain a major concern, appearing at one in five sites surveyed.

Mr Horgan described the collapse of voluntary cup schemes in some towns as a “worrying signal,” emphasizing the need for government-backed action to reduce single-use waste.

Disposable vapes, which are set to be banned in 2026, were found at similar levels to last year.