Nearly 800 volunteers across Louth and Meath rolled up their sleeves last weekend as part of the annual Big Beach Clean, removing an estimated 4.6 tonnes of litter from beaches, rivers, and waterways in the two counties.
The nationwide initiative, organised by An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme, took place from September 19th–21st and engaged almost 11,000 volunteers in more than 520 clean-ups. Together, they cleared a staggering 60 tonnes of litter across the country — the equivalent of nine elephants.
Strong turnout in Louth
In County Louth, close to 600 volunteers from over 80 groups collected approximately 3.4 tonnes of marine litter. Clean-ups took place at beaches and waterways across the county, including Templetown Beach, where Cooley Peninsula Community Alert, Cooley Kickhams, Rathcor National School, Louth Volunteer Centre, and Rice and Roddy Motors joined forces to tackle waste.
Meath groups step up
Meanwhile in Meath, almost 200 volunteers from nearly 20 groups removed around 1.2 tonnes of litter. Mornington Tidy Towns teamed up with Kia Bettystown for a clean-up at Mornington Beach, which was already relatively clean but still produced 15.5kg of rubbish. In Navan, volunteers joined Kia Navan at the Ramparts Walkway along the Royal Canal and River Boyne, where they filled 11 bags of rubbish.
Litter from land to sea
Organisers highlighted that about 80% of marine litter comes from land-based activities, with waste dropped in towns and cities eventually ending up in rivers and oceans. This year, inland communities were also strongly encouraged to get involved, with many counties away from the coast seeing higher participation rates than in 2024.
Data that shapes action
As part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), volunteers recorded the types of litter they collected, contributing to a global citizen science database. Past findings from the Big Beach Clean have already inspired campaigns such as #BinTheButt and #BreakUpWithPlastic.
The 2025 Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) report showed a 50% increase in the number of beaches and waterways rated ‘clean’, crediting this progress to the ongoing work of Clean Coasts groups and local volunteers. Cigarette butts, sweet wrappers, and fast-food packaging remain the most common litter items.
“Making a tangible difference”
Bronagh Moore, Programme Manager with Clean Coasts, praised the community spirit:
“We’re delighted once again to see so many volunteers and community groups across the country take part in the Big Beach Clean. Recent surveys show that our beaches are becoming cleaner and that’s in no small part down to the dedicated volunteers who clean our beaches, waterways, towns and villages throughout the year. Together we are making a tangible difference in keeping our beaches clean and in protecting our marine life.”
Supported once again by Kia Ireland, who supplied clean-up kits and joined local efforts, this year’s Big Beach Clean proved that whether coastal or inland, communities across Louth, Meath and beyond are playing a vital role in protecting Ireland’s marine environment.
