Kilkenny’s River Nore comes out top in 2019 anti-litter league table

By COLIN BARTLEY

KILKENNY’S River Nore is an “excellent site” that has a “virtual absence of litter”, according to the 2019 Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey of coastal areas and waterways.

The area of the River Nore examined in Kilkenny city received a glowing endorsement, just one of seven areas in Ireland the report found was “clean to European norms”.

The IBAL said of the Nore: “This was an excellent site in terms of overall presentation and litter. There was a virtual absence of litter throughout the area surveyed and this was particularly good considering the high numbers of people.”

The report was also encouraging for the River Suir which flows through Kilkenny from south of Carrick-on-Suir, through Fiddown and Mooncoin and down past Belview Port. The report deemed the Suir to be “Moderately littered”, but this is an improvement from last year’s report which found the river to be “Heavily Littered”.

The IBAL report which focused on the River Suir in and around Waterford city said: “An overall improvement…The boardwalk area was well presented and generally good with regard to litter.”

The area examined still had issues with food and sweet wrappers, cigarette butts and chewing gum. However, there were improvements in the levels of dog fouling, coffee cups, plastic bottles and plastic bags.

Neighbouring Carlow and the River Barrow did not fare as well. Both were found to be “heavily littered” in the report.

The IBAL said: “There was a very definite heavy litter presence at this site with a wide variety of regular litter, both land based and water based. The most obvious items were cans, food wrappers, plastic bottles, coffee cups and cigarette butts.

“Lower levels of glass bottles, dog fouling, bagged dog fouling, plastic utensils and other items were also present. Marine items included rope, string, fishing line and pieces of wood. Litter was most pronounced around the bridges.”