Beach beauties

No Irish litter blackspots for first time in 7yrs.  But big rise in discarded vapes lets sites down

- SHAUNA CORR

NO Irish beaches have been rated 'litter blackspots' for the first time in seven years - but there's been a rapid rise in discarded vapes, according to an annual survey.

The Irish Business Against Litter research also found coastal areas across the country are more littered than our towns.

There was a 50 per cent rise in clean sites overall, but most of the 33 areas studied nationwide fell short of "clean" status despite lower visitor numbers through our unsettled summer.

Just 12 of the beaches surveyed met European norms for "clean", 10 were "moderately littered" and 11 rated "littered".

All six beaches in Cork were on the littered list, alongside two in Dublin, two in Clare and one in Galway.

Beaches at Portmarnock, Lahinch and Dog's Bay in Donegal deteriorated to "littered" status while those in Bundoran, Ballybunion, Skerries and Strandhill were deemed "moderately littered".

But Killiney, Salthill and Tramore have cleaned up, as well as Brittas Bay and Curracloe in Wexford, which both improved on last year.

Beaches, harbours, rivers and their immediate environs were monitored by An Taisce in June and July.