Mayo town retains ‘clean’ status in latest IBAL national ranking

Ballina has retained its status as one of Ireland’s cleanest towns, despite slipping six places in the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) Anti-Litter League.

The Mayo town was ranked sixteenth out of 40 towns and cities surveyed nationwide in the first round of the 2026 league table, down from tenth place in the previous rankings. However, Ballina was once again classified as “Clean to European Norms”, remaining among the top-performing locations in the country.

The latest survey, carried out by An Taisce on behalf of IBAL, found no heavily littered sites in Ballina and praised several areas of the town for their high standards of maintenance and presentation.

Among the standout locations was the Jackie Clarke Collection, which inspectors described as a “lovely amenity” that was “beautifully presented and maintained.”

The report noted that a number of locations narrowly missed out on the top litter grade, including the Ash Pool residential area and some of the town’s approach roads. Pearse Street was also highlighted as having an excellent streetscape, although inspectors said it was let down by instances of casually discarded litter.

Despite Ballina’s slight drop in the rankings, the overall picture nationally remains positive, with 27 of the 40 surveyed towns and cities achieving a clean classification. Sligo once again topped the national table, while Limerick City Centre was the only location deemed “littered”.

Commenting on the findings, IBAL spokesperson Conor Horgan said litter levels across Ireland remain at their lowest point in decades.

“As the peak season for tourist visitors approaches, we have fewer littered areas than we’ve had at any time in the last 25 years,” he said.

The survey also highlighted emerging litter concerns nationwide. Plastic bottles and cans were found at 19 percent and 22 percent of surveyed sites respectively, the highest levels recorded since the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Coffee cup litter also increased, reaching its highest level since 2023, while cigarette butt litter showed a significant rise compared to last year.

The latest result means Ballina continues to perform strongly compared to many larger urban centres, reinforcing its reputation as one of the cleanest towns in Ireland.

With the busy summer tourism season now underway, local authorities and community groups will be hoping to build on the town’s clean status and push Ballina back into the top ten in future surveys.