Disposable vapes are increasingly ending up as litter on Irish beaches, a survey by Irish Business Against Litter has found. 

Every year, the group surveys Irish beaches for their cleanliness and it has noticed a huge increase in one item in particular.

“This time last year we were not seeing this form of litter at all, so its rapid emergence is worrying,” IBAL’s Conor Horgan

“So, too, is its impact on our environment.

“At a time when we are urgently trying to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans, the emergence of vapes is concerning.”

A woman smokes a disposable vape. Picture by: Mikhail Reshetnikov / Alamy Stock Photo

The trend has emerged at a time when IBAL’s annual report found that, for the first time ever, not a single beach surveyed was a litter ‘blackspot’.

Whereas Blackrock Castle in Cork, White’s Bay also in the Rebel County and Annesley Bridge in Dublin were all deemed ‘blackspots’ in previous years, this year they improved to ‘littered’ status.

“Volunteers such as the Blackrock Clean up Group and Clean Coasts Ballynamona at White’s Bay have seen their trojan work in recent years bear fruit in this study,” Mr Horgan said.

"There appears to be stronger collaboration between these groups and the relevant local authority in targeting these areas

Despite this, most of the 33 beaches IBAL visited as part of its survey were still not ‘clean’ - even though the wet weather has meant lower visitors numbers than usual.

Lahinch, Co Clare, Ireland; People At The Beach (Credit Image: © The Irish Image Collection/Design Pics via ZUMA Wire)

A number of highly popular spots, such as Dublin’s Portmarnock, Clare’s Lahinch and Dog’s Bay in Galway, all dropped from ‘clean’ to ‘littered status’.

While Bundoran, Ballybunion, Skerries and Strandhill were judged to be ‘moderately littered’.

The survey concluded that the beaches in Killiney, Salthill, Brittas Bay and Curracloe were ‘clean’.