Dublin Bay’s environment is being polluted by election posters which are up to 30 years old.
As The Irish Times reports, environmentalist Brian Bolger and his son Colm have located many around Bull Island Nature Reserve and Dollymount Strand on the north side of the bay.
Some are up to 30 years old, including one from the long-disbanded Democratic Left political party.
The newspaper reports that University of Galway marine scientist Dr Liam Morrison conducted tests on fragments of some of the posters, made with polypropylene, a water resistant material.
Although it can degrade, Dr Morrison said this type of plastic can break down into microplastics which can be ingested by marine organisms.
“This is just a short stretch of coastline,” Bolger told the newspaper.
“If it’s happening here, it’s happening in beauty spots around the country. In every small town, in every protected piece of coastline.”
Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, election posters and the cable ties used to hold them up must be removed one week after polling day, which this time around is June 14th.
The newspaper quoted reaction from political parties, including Labour (which has former Democratic Left members) and the Social Democrats, who said they use secure poster materials and had received “no reports of sea or beach pollution”.
Read The Irish Times here
