Waterford Schools Clean Up for Litter Challenge
Ten Waterford secondary schools were represented at a reception in City Hall earlier today in recognition of their dedication to keeping their local areas litter-free. The challenge, now in its fourth year is sponsored by Tom Murphy Car Sales Toyota, in association with Waterford City and County Council and Waterford Chamber, saw secondary schools from across the city and county partake in the challenge.
Waterpark College emerged as the overall winner of the Schools Litter Challenge, and received €1,500 prize money, sponsored by Tom Murphy Car Sales Toyota. The competition, which was launched in October last year, encourages secondary schools to keep a designated local area litter free.
As part of the eight-week challenge, secondary school students identified litter black spots in their communities and carried out regular litter picking of the area. In addition, the students learned about the sources of litter, and about the benefits of reusing and recycling items.
Prior to the awarding of certificates to the participating schools, Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Jason Murphy said, “I am delighted to welcome the participating schools to the Mayor’s Parlour this morning and must pay tribute to the trojan work they have undertaken throughout this Schools Litter Challenge. Now in its fourth year, it’s refreshing to see the enthusiasm and dedication from the students and their teachers hasn’t waned as each one continues to make a real difference in their local communities.
“It’s also refreshing and assuring to know that this generation of young people is dedicated and passionate about enhancing their communities, keeping them litter free, protecting the biodiversity of the area and being proactive in diminishing the environmental harm that litter, particularly single use plastics, causes.”
The mayor highlighted the support of Tom Murphy, a staunch advocate for Waterford for over fifty years, saying, “I’d like to thank Tom and the team at Tom Murphy Car Sales Toyota for their unwavering support and for generously sponsoring this event. We are delighted that Toyota has come on board to support this amazing initiative which aligns with their brand promise, which strives to make a positive and tangible difference to Irish society.”
Waterford City and County Council provided bags, gloves, litter pickers and high visibility vests to all schools and Tom Murphy Car Sales Toyota sponsored the €1,500 prize for the winning school.
Tom Murphy said it was inspiring to see the dedication and enthusiasm that the students put into this contest every year. “Creating cleaner and greener streets around our beautiful county should be a top priority, and these students are excellent role models for all of us. The competition grows in strength every year and is something we look forward to supporting again with Waterford City and County Council and Waterford Chamber.
“I must say congratulations to Waterpark College on winning this year competition and a very special thank you to all the schools, students and teachers that took part, and to Toyota who have embraced this competition from the start.”
Michael Oporowicz, Area Sales Manager, Toyota Ireland said, “At Toyota Ireland, sustainability is at the centre of everything we do, and we are proud to support initiatives like the Litter Challenge in Waterford. Tom Murphy’s dedication to this initiative aligns perfectly with our 'Built for a Better World' vision—giving back to the community and fostering a cleaner, better future for the generations to come. It’s fantastic to see a movement promoting environmental responsibility and empowering young people to make a difference.”
Ella Ryan, Environmental Awareness Officer with Waterford City and County Council commented, “Well done to all the students and their teachers for once again embracing this initiative with such energy and commitment. Creating cleaner, greener localities and communities has so many positive effects, encouraging us all to make small changes that have a big impact.”
The secondary schools from across County Waterford that entered the competition were Blackwater Community School, St Augustine’s College, Ardscoil na nDeise, Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School, Mount Sion CBS Secondary School, Waterpark College (Overall Winner), Ursuline Secondary School, Dungarvan CBS, De La Salle College (Highly Commended), and St. Paul’s Community College.
