Released 29/02/2024
The ACT Government is very conscious about littering and the negative impact it has on our city’s amenity.
Litter picking is undertaken by the ACT Government on a regular program across shopping centre car parks, town and district parks and arterial roads across the entirety of Canberra.
Over 160 lakes and ponds in the ACT are cleaned at least six times each a year, removing litter and debris that is floating in the water, washed into the shoreline or trapped in the reeds.
Higher use areas such as lakes or waterways adjacent to town and district parks are targeted weekly and additional cleaning is also sometimes undertaken after major storm events.
Our crews take great pride in this work, but their efforts can be undone quickly, with litter dropped, abandoned or dumped on a daily basis.
More than 34 years ago, Clean Up Australia Day was born out of a desire for the community to mobilise in removing rubbish and pollutants. Today, Clean Up Australia Day is the nation’s largest community-based environmental event.
Every year, events are held on the first Sunday of March with the community joining in to help support the environment they enjoy. These events are also a great opportunity to understand litter’s extent and impact, and reflect on how we can all live more sustainably every day of the year.
This year, the ACT Government is stepping up its support for this community-led event on Sunday, 3 March.
“The ACT Government has proudly supported Clean Up Australia Day for more than two decades. On top of their own daily litter picking and cleaning efforts, every year after the event our City Services crews pick up 500-600 bags of rubbish collected during the registered activities across the ACT, and arrange for their disposal,” said Minister for City Services Tara Cheyne.
This year, in addition to providing that key support role on the day, the ACT Government will host two sites of its own.
Crews will be along the Mortimer Lewis Drive side of Lake Tuggeranong and west Diddams Close at Lake Ginninderra. These popular areas regularly have high volumes of litter.
“I know Canberrans care deeply for the environment and share a desire of wanting to live more sustainably. I warmly welcome the community to join us at these sites, get to know some of the City Services crew members and the pride they have for their work, and have conversations about how we each have a role in valuing and supporting our beautiful environment," Minister Cheyne said.
“Alternatively, the community can pitch in at one of the more than 50 community-hosted events being held across Canberra. Visit the Clean Up Australia Day website to find and register for an event near you.”
Jenny Geddes, CEO, Clean Up Australia will be in Canberra to celebrate and support Clean Up Australia Day.
“It’s a privilege to be joining groups in our nation’s capital and just wonderful to see Canberrans continue to get behind the cause and take practical action to protect and improve our precious environment,” said Jenny Geddes, CEO, Clean Up Australia.
“I sincerely thank the ACT Government for its support and celebrate everyone who plans on getting involved."
Day: Sunday 3 March 2024
Time: 9am to 12 noon
Locations:
- Meet at the Learn to Ride Centre on Mortimer Lewis Drive in Greenway.
- Meet at the Diddams Close west car park (boat ramp end) in Belconnen.
A barbecue will be hosted close to each site and will be free for volunteers and our crews.
With the Clean Up focus of this month, the ACT Government intends to undertake a blitz of abandoned shopping trolleys later in March. Retailers will be given at least retailers two days' notice that a trolley collection sweep will be conducted in their area.
Any trolleys not collected by retailers before the notified collection day will be removed by the ACT Government, with removal and storage costs charged to the retailer concerned before they can collect the trolley—as well as destroying and recycling costs if it is not retrieved. Payment of removal and storage costs is compulsory and is not dependent on whether or not the retailer collects the trolley. The current fee is $149.
While removing rubbish that’s been accumulated is always a priority for our Government, prevention is even more important—and that’s where we all have a responsibility.
- If you’re unsure whether an item can be recycled, or where to take it, recyclopaedia has the answer.
- Standalone households and apartment blocks can receive a FREE bulky waste pick-up.
- Recycling drop off centres in Belconnen, Gungahlin, Mitchell, Phillip and Tuggeranong are for excess household recycling and large cardboard boxes.
- Our two resource management centres accept a range of materials including e-waste. hazardous items and waste to landfill.
- There are 22 container deposit scheme return points.
- Statement ends -
| Tara Cheyne, MLA | Media Releases