The new "pay by weight" system of bin charges could result in increased litter and the dumping of rubbish, the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) group has warned.
The business alliance said that people might decide to dump their waste illegally rather than pay the charges.
Dr Tom Cavanagh, IBAL chairman, said there was a need for a "pay by weight" system but local authorities would have to be more vigilant to combat dumping.
"The fact is, while it is an incentive for some to cut down on waste, it is an incentive for others to dispose of their waste illegally," he said.
"It would take only isolated instances of this to undo the progress made on litter in recent years," he said.
Charity shops have already claimed that people are "dumping" bags of rubbish in their shops in the guise of charitable donations.
This year, the IBAL has expanded its "Anti-Litter League" to include 56 suburbs, towns and cities. This is almost a doubling of the size of the programme.
All towns with more than 6,000 inhabitants will now be surveyed. Areas included for the first time include Killarney, Naas, Lucan and Drumcondra. The 2004 results placed Cavan as the cleanest town in the State, while Swords was found to be the most littered.
