Clean Up Laois Week makes its annual return at the end of the month, with the anti-litter initiative set to run from Monday, March 31, to Friday, April 4.
Laois County Council, in partnership with Bord na Mona Recycling, are asking local communities to “spring into action” to join the fight against litter again this spring.
To participate, groups, communities, neighbours and friends are requested to register with the Environment Section.
They will then receive free packs of bags, gloves and litter pickers to help tackle the issue of litter in their local areas, to see the benefit of a litter free environment.
The collected litter will be gathered by Bord na Mona Recycling in the week after the clean up is completed, from Arpril 7 to 11.
This initiative is Ireland’s biggest and longest running anti-litter campaign and makes a real impact on local environments.
Registration forms are available on the Council’s website, or by emailing or phoning the Environment Section at cleanupweek@laoiscoco.ie or 057 86 89315.
Over the past 26 years, the National Spring Clean operated by An Taisce has been focused on the message of the collective responsibility we share in tackling and preventing our national litter problem.
By participating in organised clean-ups, groups and individuals of all ages play a significant role in reducing litter and protecting biodiversity across Ireland while also bringing communities together.
Over the course of the last 26 years, 12 million hours of volunteering were contributed and an estimated 47,500 tonnes of litter across Ireland have been collected.
Throughout this year’s campaign, National Spring Clean also hopes to encourage participants to think about what they can do to reduce their consumption and waste outputs.
Each year, this partnership approach to tackling the ongoing litter problem receives enormous support from local residents, community groups, businesses and schools and is a testament to the community spirit that this initiative fosters.
Laois County Council acknowledges the great work done by all groups involved and would encourage the public to be extra vigilant in their own areas, by reporting any litter offences, unauthorised waste collectors, or fly tipping on the confidential freephone litter hotline – 1800 32 32 30.
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