Thanks for helping us to 'Step Up to Clean Up' this Clean Up Australia Day!
Over 30 local community groups, workplaces, and schools have registered to “step up to clean up” for Clean Up Australia Day 2023, with events scheduled right across March.
We also know there are plenty more across our community who grab their gloves and take to our parks and beaches on ‘the regular’ to keep our places and spaces clean.
So we'd like to say thanks...
Thanks to each and every one of you who got (or is soon to get) involved in this year’s events. You each play such an important role in keeping our environment clean. We’ll be sure to share the total waste weight tally once events are over, so that we can celebrate our collective impact!
Keen to inspire others to continue keeping our community clean?
We really do appreciate all the amazing volunteers that lend a hand to keep our community litter-free. And, we’re keen to keep the efforts required to a minimum by supporting our community to take actions that help avoid litter in the first place.
Keen to help us spread the word about some simple ways we can move towards our goal of becoming a litter-free region? Check out our top tips below.
Pack a package-free picnic
While it might be convenient to stop by the shops and grab lunch on the go, a homemade picnic in reusable containers will not only taste better (who doesn’t love a freshly made wrap or salad!), but will also remove the risk of accidental fly-aways that often come from the light-weight plastic wrapping of takeaway picnic foods you find in your supermarket isles.
Don’t forget to take your reusable drink bottle to fill up at one of our bubblers and, of course, your reusable coffee cup to enjoy your tasty hot beverage minus the environmental impact.
Take your own rubbish bag to save space in our local bins
Of course, we’re very lucky to have so many delicious takeaway places to choose from, so if you’re keen to support local, you’ll likely to have some rubbish at the end of your adventures. Coming prepared with your own rubbish bag is a great way to lighten the load on our public bin capacities, minimising overflow chances. It also allows you to sort your waste back home so it heads to the right bin, meaning you’ll often be sending less to landfill, too!
Not sure which bin? Check out our A-Z guide.
Report overflowing bins
Not all litter is intentional. Our public bins are regularly maintained and emptied, and all registered events must also have a waste management plan in place that requires extra bins to accommodate the heavier foot traffic.
Despite our best efforts, there are still times when our bins can unexpectedly overflow.
Spot a bin overflowing? Snap a photo, then report it in the forms section of our Waste Info App (free to download if you don’t already have it!). Our waste team will receive your notification and organise a special clean up.
Report littering and illegal dumping
While we know most of our community are out there doing the right thing, there are some who need a little extra support and encouragement to do the right thing.
You can report littering through the Waste Info app mentioned above, or Council’s main website.
Spotted a syringe or needle? Please don’t touch it and call NSW Health’s Needle Clean Up Hotline on 1800 633 353 to organise a safe pick up.
With almost 60% of the ocean’s waste coming from land, and 75% of that being plastic, we’re grateful and proud for all our community is doing to reduce litter in our local areas.
Keep up the great work, and be sure to check back here soon as we report on the collective efforts for our region’s Clean Up Australia Day!
