Cigarette butts the biggest cause of litter in Laois

Cigarettes remain the biggest cause of litter on Laois streets, followed closely by packaging. 

Laois County Council has released its draft litter plan detailing what it aims to do for the next three years to tackle the dirty old environmental issue.

Cigarettes comprise over a third of waste at 34%, with packaging at 28%, food related litter at 17.8%, sweet wrappers 5.8%, then paper items, miscellaneous, deliterious waste and finally vaping waste at 1.2%. The data was collected in 2023.

Passing pedestrians throw the most litter, at over 40%. That is followed by littering outside shops and by motorists, each at about 15%.

Surprisingly much further down the blame line is fly tipping, dumping and fast food outlets, each causing less than 5% of the problem. 

They council lists initiatives over the last plan including Green Schools, bill boards and cinema advertisements, the recently relaunched Gum Litter Taskforce, Green Your Festival Laois, Green GAA clubs, Our Shared Plate, Tidy Towns groups, upcycling and mending workshops, a radio campaign on iRadio, and business initiatives.

Other efforts include mattress and waste collections, bicycle collection and repair, street cleaning and litter bins, clearing illegal dumping and taking away waste gathered by volunteers.

Over 2024, they received 1415 environment complaints including 339 about litter and 587 about waste management and enforcement.

"The number of on-the-spot fines have been maintained with 47 fixed penalty notices issued in 2022, 84 in 2023 and 93 notices in 2024," the report states.

They are about to be helped by the return of CCTV cameras at dumping blackspots and some of the county's 42 bring banks.

Laois councillors are not convinced that enough is being done.

"Are we winning the battle? We need cameras. The Tidy Towns are out every week but the county looks as bad. I still see the same number of blue bags out, there's still blackspots," said Cllr John King.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley wants the litter laws enforced.

"The litter issue has gotten an awful lot worse. I got a bill from Bord na Móna of a huge increase for bins, though that's not an excuse for people who dump. We're paying a fortune in the council to clean up dumped waste. There should be joined up thinking between the housing section and the environment section.

"The gaps left between new developments are a no man's land, I've reports that people are lifing their fences to dump while it's being cleaned. It's not fair on residents paying for rubbish to be taken away, this is the cause of rats. Enforcement is the only way," she said.

Cllr Vivienne Phelan praised the Tidy Towns volunteers.

"There are pockets in Laois where there is none to little engagement with Tidy Towns, we should reach out to them," she said.

Cllr Ben Brennan said "it's not fair" that as soon as rural waste is cleaned, it's dumped again.

"People caught should be named and shamed, if not they're getting away with it and they'll do it again," he warns.

Cllr Aisling Moran again called for enforced bin services paid by renters, while Laois Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Walsh said the penalties should be more severe. Other councillors agree that cameras will be the best deterrant. 

Read also: Train travels through Laois town for first time in 60 years

The litter hotline is 1800 323230. Litter fines start at €150 and go to €3,000 through the Courts with conviction on indictment for litter offences carrying a maximum fine of €130,000, plus costs. The penalty for large-scale dumping on conviction or indictment is up to €15 million and/or 10 years in prison.

See the plan and make comments on www.consultlaois.ie