Hundreds of black bags collected in 24-hour litter pick

04 July 2019

Volunteers who took part in a big 24-hour litter pick across Aberdeen collected enough rubbish to fill hundreds of black bin bags.

The 548 participants in the Aberdeen City Council-organised event which is designed to help make the city sparkle more in the summer months managed to fill 321 bags across 46 clean-ups.

The more unusual items found included a set of weights, a vacuum cleaner, sleeping bags, garden chairs and, to the delight of the pupils at Kittybrewster Primary School when doing their litter-pick, a bag of nerf guns.

Groups, schools, businesses, and organisations took part in the event which involves litter picks starting every hour over 24 hours from midnight to midnight.

This year’s event held last Thursday was started by ACC’s environmental services team near the River Dee followed by the other groups every hour.

Other groups taking part this year included Friends of Walker Dam, the City Council’s Countryside Rangers and tree team, Friends of Seaton Park, Middleton Park School, Riverbank School, Kirkhill School, Hanover Street School, Cummings Park Community Flat, Airyhall School, Friends of Victoria & Westburn Parks, Orchard Brae School, Kittybrewster Primary, Brighter Bucksburn and Stoneywood School, Heathryfold Park Steering Group, the City Council’s environmental strategy team, Cove community, RSPB Dolphinwatch, Spirit Energy, Beavers, Redmoss Residents Fit Like Joggers, Kincorth Community, Sport Aberdeen, Friends of Sunnybank Park and Fittie residents.

The places the groups are picked litter up from include Riverside, Garthdee, Torry, Hazlehead pitches, Ellon Road, Walker Dam, Den of Maidencraig, Hazlehead Walled Garden, Seaton Park, Wellington Road, ASDA park Bridge of Don, Kincorth, Tillydrone, Airyhall, Victoria Park, Stewart Park, Cummings Park, Sclattie Woods, Brimmond, Heathryfold Park, Broad Hill, Torry Battery, Cove, Greyhope Beach, Denburn, Garthdee Pitches, Kincorth Hill, Aulton pitches and links, and finally Fittie and the beach.

Aberdeen City Council’s operational delivery convener Councillor John Wheeler said: “It’s great that so many groups came out to help keep our city looking sparkling clean.

“Our staff work hard to keep the city clean and tidy but unfortunately we can’t be everywhere at the same time so the work carried out by these communities, groups, workplaces and individuals makes a big difference.

“We’d prefer if people didn’t litter in the first place as it’s unsightly and is bad for the environment and we are all responsible for not littering in the first place.

“This effort can be as simple as picking up litter outside our front gates every day, or a bigger effort such as litter picks carried out by dozens of groups throughout the year. These organised events really do make a huge difference to local communities and help foster a bit of pride in our beautiful city.”

The event is part of the year-round Clean Up Aberdeen campaign which encourages people not to litter in the first place, and also provides equipment for groups wanting to organise a litter pick. For more details, or to get help organising an event, call 03000 200 292, or email cleanaberdeen@aberdeencity.gov.uk. More information is also available from Clean up Aberdeen on Facebook www.facebook.com/Clean-Up-Aberdeen, or from the website www.cleanupscotland.com/.

Pic caption: Some of the groups who took part including Friends of Victoria and Westburn Parks, Kittybrewster School at Hilton Woods, our Countryside Rangers (and a pooch) at Den of Maidencraig, and Riverbank School