Only 16 percent of our coasts and waterways are clean, according to Irish Business Against Litter.
A study of 42 areas across the country revealed that only 1 in 6 were deemed 'clean', while 14% were classed as 'littered' or 'heavily littered'.
Over the course of the summer, An Taisce monitored beaches, harbours and rivers and their surrounding areas for the latest Irish Business Against Litter survey.
It found that just 16% are clean while 14% were 'littered' or 'heavily littered'.
Salthill emerged as one of the cleanest beaches, alongside Curracloe in Wexford and Seapoint in Dublin.
While Lough Rea and the River Shannon at Carrick-on-Shannon and the Nore in Kilkenny were clean - the Barrow in Carlow town and the Tolka in Dublin were both heavily littered.
KiImore Quay harbour was clean, but Cork Harbour near Midleton was heavily littered and among the worst areas surveyed.
According to IBAL, the most common forms of litter found were food wrappers, plastic bottles, cans and cigarette butts.
