A survey of litter black spots in Ireland has found that dumping is on the rise, especially in disadvantaged urban areas.
The latest report from Irish Business Against Litter finds that Kilkenny is the cleanest city, while Farranree in Cork area most subject to dumping and long-term neglect.
Nearly all of Ireland's main towns are now clean to European standards, but pockets of the major cities continue to suffer from significant levels of litter.
The IBAL survey carried out by An Taisce found that Kilkenny, Enniscorthy, Kildare and Waterford City top the list of the cleanest places in the country.
The survey found that Farranree in Cork is a litter blackspot, while Galvone in Limerick was seriously littered.
Mahon in Cork, Castlebar in Mayo, and Ballymun, along with parts of Dublin's north inner city, were all littered.
IBAL said that while litter is subsiding, evidence suggests dumping is on the rise and featured prominently in Ballymun, Farranree and Galvone.
The group said said that while it agrees with the principle of pay-by-weight refuse collection, it fears its introduction will lead to a further rise in dumping.
IBAL spokesperson Conor Horgan has said its survey shows dumping is on the increase.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said the organisation is "particularly concerned that the pay-by-weight debacle has maybe created a spirit of resistance among the people towards waste charges and this could be an issue for our environment next year".
Mr Horgan added that this could be the case, "certainly if people react the way they did to the water tax".
He continued that he thinks "the charge needs to be reasonable" and the Government "needs to allay people's skepticism that this is just a new revenue stream".
IBAL "agrees with the polluter pays principle but must be managed in a proper way", he said.
