Dublin City Council expands 24-hour cleaning zone to keep city clean

Dublin City Council has today announced the delivery of its 3 pillar Waste Management Strategy to deliver a cleaner city. 

As a part of this strategy the Council has:

• Recruited 100 extra waste management staff 
• Invested in new vehicles to tackle litter
• Expanded the 24-hour cleaning zones
• Removed the ability to present waste in plastic bags from 90 streets
• Facilitated installation of waste compacters in two city-centre locations to support the removal of the plastic bags
• Increased the street washing capability with a dedicated night-time street washing team, and a specialised wash vehicle per area and a city-wide rapid response team 
• Appointed six new litter wardens including a night patrol service to step up enforcement
• Introduced a Litter Prevention and Awareness Campaign

Every day, Dublin City Council’s waste management crews are out before dawn with 500 people working 24/7 to clean the city, collecting tonnes of litter from 3,500 bins, responding to more than 700 service requests a week, from illegal dumping to urgent clean-ups and collect approximately 18,000 tonnes of waste annually.

With a growing population, rising economic activity and an increase in events across the city, waste management has become more of a challenge. In response the Council introduced this three pillar strategy in September 2024 to improve waste management. It includes operational enhancements, increased enforcement and awareness/prevention initiatives.

Phase one of the Litter Prevention and Awareness Campaign called ‘Bin It’ puts a spotlight on the 500 staff working around the clock to keep Dublin clean. It highlights the scale of effort that goes on behind the scenes every day to maintain the capital’s streets and public spaces and calls on the public to ‘do their part’ in keeping the city clean.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Ray McAdam, speaking at the launch said:

“Dublin belongs to all of us. Our cleaning teams work tirelessly every single day, but no city can stay spotless unless everyone takes responsibility. Today is about showing the scale of what’s being done and asking everyone to join in. The Council has expanded its resources and equipment to do more than ever before, but keeping Dublin clean is a shared responsibility, and we all need to play our part.”

The campaign also reminds residents and businesses that keeping Dublin clean is a shared responsibility. Businesses are expected to keep the area outside their premises clear of waste, while all who use the city are encouraged to dispose of litter responsibly.

Derek Kelly, Executive Manager, Environment and Transportation, Dublin City Council, added:

“Our teams are on the ground every day of the year, keeping our streets clean. We’ve invested heavily in expanding cleaning operations and enforcement, and Dublin now has one of the highest densities of public bins in Europe. This campaign is about showing what’s being done and encouraging everyone to join us in making Dublin cleaner. Dublin can only stay clean if everyone plays their part.”

The campaign will run across outdoor, digital, and social media channels over the coming weeks with phase two launching at the end of September. Dublin City Council is calling on residents, businesses, and visitors alike to get behind the campaign, take pride in the city, and help ensure Dublin continues to be recognised internationally as a clean, welcoming capital.

For more information about Dublin City Council’s waste management initiatives, visit dublincity.ie or follow @DubCityCouncil on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.