“Very solid performance” by Athlone in latest litter survey

Athlone has moved up from 25th place to 18th in the latest survey conducted by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) in what has been described as a “very solid performance” for the town.

While Athlone has retained its status as being Clean to European Norms in the survey with six out of the ten sites examined by An Taisce inspectors achieving the top litter Grade A, the vacant property on the Southern Station Road close to the bus station was described as being “by far the most heavily littered site” surveyed in the town.

The inspectors said this particular site, which was given a Grade C ranking, “presents poorly” with a wide variety of food and other miscellaneous items” and warned that it is “likely to deteriorate further” if not addressed.

While the Athlone Bus Station itself achieved a Grade A ranking the inspector's report clarified that it has “only just” achieved the top litter grade as cigarette butts were “definitely a feature” and there was also an abandoned trolley at the site, though they noted that the car park area was “freshly presented.”

The 18th place ranking for Athlone in the latest IBAL survey will be welcomed by the local Tidy Towns Association as it represents the first time in three years that the town has improved its ranking. IBAL ranked Athlone in 16th place out of the 40 towns and cities it surveyed at the end of 2022, but it fell to 22nd place in 2023, and a further three places to 25th in the final survey of last year. However, the mid-year survey conducted by IBAL in June of last year saw Athlone fall to its lowest ranking of 26th place when it was found to be “moderately littered.”

Among the six sites in Athlone which achieved a Grade A ranking were the Ballymahon Approach Road, The Strand and Athlone Town Centre & Environs, with the inspectors saying the latter was “a very worthy Grade A site.”

Set up in 1996, Irish Business Against Litter is an alliance of companies sharing a belief that continued economic prosperity - notably in the areas of tourism, food and direct foreign investment - is contingent on a clean, litter-free environment.

As part of the IBAL Anti-Litter League, An Taisce monitors towns independently and in accordance with international grading standards.

See full report in this week's edition of the Westmeath Independent