From dirty old town to clean sweep!
by Danielle Harney Updated: Friday, 14th January, 2011 9:30am
Tullamore success in IBAL litter report
Tullamore came an impressive ninth and was rated ‘clean to European norms’ in the final IBAL anti-litter league report of 2010 released this week.
It was a huge jump in the litter league table for the town, which only two years ago was ranked bottom out of 53 towns and deemed a litter blackspot. It has also jumped 14 places from the previous survey carried out midway through last year. Judges described the score as a “great result” for the town, which received eight top marks.
The Edenderry and Portarlington approach roads to the town both received A grades, helping to create a positive first impression of the town and most of the sites were completely litter-free according to judges. In this survey, only two of the ten sites surveyed were graded ‘moderately littered’. Both grade B marks were give to the Dublin and Clara approach roads, as small scatterings of litter were noticed by judges.
The residential area of Arden View also received top marks and was found to be clear of litter and well-maintained. The grade A sites such as the train station, the Harbour, Dunnes Stores’ carpark and Scoil Iosagáin on the Daingean Rd, were praised for their overall presentation.
“Tullamore Railway Station was equal first among the railway stations in the survey,” said judges.
“What sets Tullamore and other very high scoring towns apart is the overall presentation of the top ranking sites... These sites were not just clear of litter but very well maintained.”
Chairman of Tullamore Tidy Towns Tommy McKeigue was delighted with the result and said it was down to the hard work and improved awareness.
“There’s been a big turnaround in the last six years. The residents associations are more active now and there’s more co-operation from the big businesses. The council has played a major part in coming on board and the Tidy Towns and Credit Union run a successful competition,” he said.
“All the schools have bought into the green flags programme as well.”
He said that Tullamore Town Council is more pro-active in issuing litter fines now and can fine people €250 for dumping rubbish or littering.
He said that the recycling sites are monitored to prevent people from illegally dumping there.
He also said that there is a fear that a cut in funding could affect services, such as street cleaning which costs €350,000 per year. But he said that a tax on chewing gum would be a good way of funding its clean-up.
“A clean town helps businesses, I’d definitely support ways of funding more litter control. Chewing gum is awful and we’ve a problem with cigarette butts, especially outside bookies and pubs even though they supply bins. It’s a big problem, in O’Connor Square we filled two bags half full of cigarette butts.”
In comparison, Mullingar came 37th and was rated ‘clean to European norms’ while Athlone came 42nd, while Portlaoise was the worst-performing Midland town, coming last and was the only town judged to have a ‘serious litter problem’.
The overall winner was Carlow town, claiming the title for the third time since the litter league began.
Of the 53 towns surveyed by IBAL, 74% were judged litter-free, the highest percentage since the league began in 2002.
No town was classed as a litter blackspot.
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