Kerry's Blue Flag beaches have rarely been less crowded but their bins have never been as full.
Kerry County Council says this is because some owners of caravan parks, self-catering and holiday homes direct their visitors to the bins on the beaches rather than spend money on refuse charges.
Kerry and Mayo have the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the Republic. Kerry spends €95,000 annually on cleaning its 13 beaches daily. In all, €300,000 is spent on water-testing, safety, toilet facilities and litter bins to maintain the Blue Flag status.
Blue flags are awarded each bathing season on the basis of water quality, beach management, safety, services and facilities, environmental education and information. A European jury awards the flags and An Taisce operates the scheme nationally. This year, 75 beaches and four marinas received Blue Flags.
"The flags are an asset to the county and it's in everybody's interest to protect them," said Mr Micheál Ó Coileáin, Kerry County Council's environmental officer.
The council put extra and bigger bins on the beaches this year, but instead of helping to cope with the problem "they have actually attracted huge amounts of litter". Inch beach on the main Dingle-Killarney road and beaches around the Magharees in Tralee Bay and Brandon Bay were badly affected, he said.
"We have stopped tourists putting their week's rubbish into the bins and we are told this is where they were told to put the rubbish," Mr Ó Coileáin said.
"There is more rubbish this year than any year, even though the beaches have been exceptionally quiet." Beaches with small litter bins had no problems, he added.
The council is now clamping down on caravan parks. Their licences have to be renewed every January and the council will be checking that they have enough bins to meet needs.