Litter issues after the 2022 Cork City 10-Miler

Following the Cork City 10-Miler last Saturday, someone sent on the following message on Sunday with the photos above... 

"Any chance you guys can clear up the mess you've left on the old railway line please there are bottles of water strewn everywhere and it's an absolute disgrace the way participants and organisers have left the place."

All race organisers should have a 'Leave No Trace' policy and waste management should be part of the race process. If water bottles are handed out then all discarded bottles and gels should be picked up straight away after the race has finished.

If enough local residents and members of the public complain to the Cork City Council about post race littering then the easiest solution is for the Council to ban all races on Greenways and walkways. Something to consider.

Note from Cork County Council on Race Flyers and Littering

Someone in Cork County Council sent on a notice to me recently about race flyers and littering. It's actually an offence to leave race flyers on the windscreens of cars as it counts as littering. The owner of the car didn't ask for the leaflet and they are given it without any say in the matter.

For some race organisers, this is an ongoing problem. If a farmers field is used as a car park then the litter including discarded flyers must be picked up afterwards. In other cases, it leads to litter in residential areas which can lead to problems as some races are dependent on the goodwill of the local community.

From what I understand, there is nothing wrong with handing out flyers to someone in person say at the race HQ or finish line. They are accepting the flyer and it is up to them to dispose of it properly. It can however lead to some local littering so it's best to clear it with the race organiser to see how they feel about it.

The Council would just like to get the word out there and have event organisers comply rather than having to take action.

Here is their statement........Cork County Council would like to draw race organisers and club committees’ attention to the following:

The placing of leaflets on vehicles, such as under wipers, is prohibited under the Litter Pollution Act 1997. This can attract a spot fine of €150, or, potentially, prosecution in the courts.

Cork County Council does not wish to be in a position of issuing penalties to small athletic clubs, community organisations or local concerns. Therefore, we would appreciate it if you could draw relevant people’s attention to this.

If clubs or committees should have difficulty in getting third parties to comply with this, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Environment Directorate in Inniscarra and we will offer appropriate assistance.

Cork County Council,
Environment Directorate,
Inniscarra,
County Cork.
Ireland.
Tel: (021) 4532700

Is there a problem with rubbish at road races???

Someone left this message recently...

"Interesting letter on page 31 of the Sunday independent. It should be highlighted and if the letter was over the top it should be said it was over the top. I've no idea if this happens after our road races in Cork but the letter most certainly says it does."

This is the letter...

Now before we circle the wagons and dismiss everything Maurice Fitzgerald has said, let's look at it in more detail.

'Our countryside and cities are being destroyed by marathons and road races and the huge amounts of litter they leave behind'.... Really?? For most road races that are 10kms or less, they don't hand out any water out on the course. Any cups or bottles of water that are given up at the finish line will usually be cleared away and there is no sign afterwards that a race was even held.

'Many runners think the rules regarding litter disposal are suspended when a race is going on, that laws regarding the disposal of rubbish are neither here nor there, as they unashamedly throw their rubbish on the ground for others to pick up'....'Paper and plastic cups are also part of the rubbish of runners who throw them on the ground at will'........Anyone involved in road races will know that's it's impossible to run with a cup of water. You grab a cup...get one or two gulps at most....and then drop it on the ground. All this happens within 50 metres of the water station. The runners know this, the organisers know this. The cups are then picked up once the race has passed. Done properly, there is usually no sign that there was even a water station at that location.

As can be seen above, some of Maurice Fitzgerald's comments are ill informed and he's on a bit of a rant.

However, he does in his defense make one valid point....'Water bottle after water bottle can be seen thrown all over when the race is over'.

The thing about water bottles is that they can be carried and they may be disposed of anywhere. While pacing the Dingle marathon, I've seen plastic bottles hurled into fields which I'm sure delighted the local farmers. In the Clonakilty Marathon, I've seen bottles being flung into the woods and I'd be pretty sure that they are still there to this day. 95% of runners might be responsible and drop off the empty bottle at the next water station but the irresponsible 5% can create a right mess.

Another issue is that of the race or event organiser. Are they all responsible? Will they go out and try to pick up any rubbish left behind?

And if water bottles are top of the list in terms of rubbish then energy gels wrappers are definitely second.

So does Maurice Fitzgerald have some valid points? Do you agree with all of it?...part of it?...or none of it? Should race organisers be held more accountable for any rubbish that is generated?

Click on the Comment link below.