Over 30 million tons of litter are discarded in various parts of the UK annually, causing visible pollution, endangering wildlife, and incurring an estimated cost of £1 billion for clean-up efforts each year.
The positive news is that Keep Britain Tidy is organizing the Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean from 13-29 March, where numerous individuals will unite to enhance the cleanliness of our neighborhoods.
Since its inception in 2016, the Great British Spring Clean initiative has amassed a group of dedicated Litter Heroes who have committed to collecting over 4.5 million bags of trash from streets, parks, fields, riverbanks, and beaches across the country.
The upcoming Great British Spring Clean will occur from 13-29 March. Participants can register on keepbritaintidy.org to pledge the number of bin bags they intend to collect, whether as individuals, groups, or schools.
Last year, almost 400,000 volunteers engaged in the annual clean-up, filling approximately 462,000 bags of litter. A survey revealed that 95% of participants felt their contributions significantly improved their local environment.
Among the advocates for this year’s event is civil servant Emdad Rahman, an influential Litter Hero Ambassador supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s mission. Emdad, through his Little Litter League program, encourages youth and families to take responsibility for their surroundings by organizing regular litter-picking activities.
Another supporter is Sarah Drakes, the sustainability manager at Nestlé Confectionery UK&I, who has backed the Great British Spring Clean for six years. Sarah’s efforts align with Nestlé’s goal to minimize packaging waste ending up as litter or in landfills.
KFC UK&I and Mars Wrigley have also been long-term partners of the campaign, with their employees actively participating in the annual Spring Clean initiatives. Mars Wrigley additionally funds the Chewing Gum Task Force, which has significantly reduced gum littering through targeted interventions.
The Great British Spring Clean offers an opportunity for individuals to contribute positively to their communities by committing to collect litter starting from 13 February. Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, the CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, commended the efforts of volunteers like Emdad for removing millions of bags of harmful litter from public areas.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, expressed admiration for the volunteers safeguarding the environment, emphasizing the importance of collective action in nature conservation.
The 2022 campaign is made possible by the support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, media partners Bauer Media Outdoor, Magic Radio, The Mirror, and collaborating partners including KFC UK&I, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Pepsi Max, and Walkers.
The Great British Spring Clean also encompasses the Spring Clean Cymru in Wales (13-29 March) and Spring Clean Scotland in Scotland (13 March-24 April).