Plastic Bottles Still Littering Streets

Plastic bottles and cans still dominate street litter despite a dramatic drop since Ireland’s deposit return scheme launched—plastic bottles at 19% and cans at 22% of surveyed spots, the highest since the program began. While overall cleanliness hits a 25-year high and cities like Dublin’s north inner city and Cork’s northside improve from “littered” to “moderately littered,” coffee cup litter surges to its worst level since 2023, and cigarette butts rise sharply—both ignored by policy. Experts warn the deposit incentive isn’t enough to change behavior, and a “latte levy” remains absent. Still, local authorities are stepping up, especially in disadvantaged areas, and Dublin’s planned shift away from bagged waste could push the capital toward even cleaner streets.

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