Marine litter, including plastic bottles, cans and drink container lids, is in decline along the country's foreshores, according to Coastwatch Ireland.
However, the Irish coastal environment group has warned there is no room for complacency.
In its annual autumn marine litter survey of 542 sites, Coastwatch Ireland registered the lowest average bottle and can count in 25 years of surveys.
From a peak of 100 bottles per kilometre in 2010, it has dropped to just below eight bottles per kilometre in 2024.
Coastwatch Ireland also found that the number of shores where one or more item was found is falling too.
The group's founder Karin Dubsky said while there is reason to celebrate progress, there is also a need to be cautious.
"A huge effort is needed to push the circular economy and a new approach to plastics", she said
Coastwatch Ireland co-ordinator for Wexford Mick Berry said that awareness campaigns and community clean-up efforts over the past decade have brought about a decline in marine litter but "since February 2024, the newly introduced deposit/return system on plastic drinks, bottles and cans has really made a difference".
"Now most bottles found on the shore are either old with a pre-tethered cap, or milk bottles," he said.
However, the survey found that plastic cutlery, straws and expanded polystyrene containers banned under EU and Irish law since July 2021 remain a problem.
It also found that the most widespread litter now reported includes plastic ropes, string, fishing and aquaculture gear, with rope and string found at over 70% of the shores.
Micro litter was found at 37% of the sites surveyed.
Karine Dubsky told the survey results launch at Trinity College Dublin that Ireland is still producing far too much waste citing the latest EPA report of August 2023.
"Packaging waste first breached the one million tonne mark in 2016 and it's on an increasing trend of almost 25% based on the base year of 2016.
"In 2021, there was an increase of 120,000 tonnes in packaging waste generated in comparison with 2020.
"We hope the new govenrment will continue to strive to tackle this serious problem and have the courage and determination to push further measures," she added.
