Passionate litter-picking pupils launch campaign to keep Aberdeen tidy

23 February 2018

This year’s Clean Up Aberdeen campaign which encourages residents to get involved and help keep their community tidy was launched today (Friday 23 February).

A team of volunteers included about 90 youngsters from Middleton Park Primary and Aberdeen City Council staff took part in a lunchtime litter pick at the Donmouth end of the city’s beach.

Clean Up Aberdeen is being led by Aberdeen City Council’s Environmental Services and the public are encouraged to take part by tidying up somewhere important to their area, somewhere important for wildlife, or areas of land which are not regularly cleared of litter.

As part of the campaign, people are also encouraged not to make a mess in the first place, whether by littering or fly-tipping items such as discarded furniture. People taking part would also help free their community of litter and graffiti, report incidents of flytipping and responsibly dispose of litter and mess in their area.

Black bin bags, litter picking tongs, gloves and high-vis vests can be provided for free for litter-picks and the City Council’s Environmental Services will uplift any rubbish collected.

Pupils at several primary schools around the city are also going to organise and hold their own local campaigns, with one school a month planned to take part. There are also dozens of community-minded people– ranging from work places to schools to groups - which hold litter picks around the year, and their contribution is invaluable.

Aberdeen City Council communities, housing and infrastructure convener Councillor Yvonne Allan, who attended the launch, said: “We can all make such a big difference to our environment by not dropping litter or fly-tipping in the first place.

“Our public spaces are for everyone to enjoy and if we can influence a change in the litter-dropping or fly-tipping habits in the city with this campaign then we will be improving the quality of life for both residents and our city wildlife.

“We have dozens of staff who work hard to keep our city clean, however, they can’t be everywhere at all times so these community efforts are to be applauded. We’d also encourage people to report any problem areas to us where items have been dumped or there are volumes of litter.

“We hope this Clean Up Aberdeen campaign will raise awareness that everyone has to do their bit to keep our city clean, safe and beautiful.”

Anyone wanting to dispose of household items can take items to their local city recycling centre or find out how to get large items collected from www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/bins-and-recycling, or the www.recyclenow.com website also has details of charities which pick up large items.

People are encouraged to take part in Clean Up Aberdeen along with friends and family, work colleagues, schools or community groups.

Clean Up Aberdeen is part of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s national campaign to encourage communities, businesses and residents to join forces to help stop litter from being dropped on the ground and to make it a socially unacceptable practise in our city. The national campaign is aimed at making Scotland the cleanest country in Europe.

People or groups wanting to take part should register via www.cleanupscotland.com/pledge. For more details, or to get help organising an event in the city, call 01224 219281 or email cleanaberdeen@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

PICTURE CAPTION, LEFT TO RIGHT:

Robyn Gillespie (10YO pr6), Emily Morrice (11YO pr7), Councillor Yvonne Allan, Cole Farrimond (11YO pr7), Becky McDonald (11YO pr7), Rhianna Hughes (10YO pr6), and atvika Sakethraman (10YO pr6),