Posted on: Wednesday 16 March 2022
Volunteers are being recruited for this year’s Torfaen Spring Clean.
Litter picks are being organised at nine locations across the borough next month, including Sandybrook Park and Fairwater Shops, in Cwmbran; Chapel Lane to Edlogan Way river walkway, and around the Crown Hotel in Varteg.
Councillor Mandy Owen, Torfaen Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, said: “Our street cleansing crews and countryside staff work hard every day picking up litter and trying to make the borough clean and green, but keeping the environment litter-free is everyone’s responsibility.
“Currently, the council spends over £1.3 million per year of tax payers money picking up litter and fly-tipping. If no littering or fly-tipping took place this money could be re-invested into productive activities to benefit our communities.
“We don’t like warning people about being fined, but if we do see anyone littering or fly-tipping our enforcement team will fine you, so think twice before doing so.
“I will be out and about litter picking when I can during Spring Clean, and I would like to encourage everyone to give up an hour or two of their time to take part in their closest litter pick.
“More people than ever spent time in their local green spaces over the past two years due to the Covid pandemic, so let’s show it some respect.
“By working together, we can make an even bigger impact than what we do when working alone.”
Ron Ford, from Griffithstown, a volunteer Torfaen Litter Champion, said: “Volunteering is hugely rewarding and makes a real difference to the community and I would encourage everyone to get involved in the Torfaen Spring Clean or organise your own.
“People need to take pride in where they live. If everyone picked up one piece of litter a day this problem would disappear overnight.
The Torfaen Spring Clean will take place between Monday 25 April and Friday 6 May. The first will be at Sandybrook Park, St Dials, on Monday 25 April, from 9.30am.
To find out where and when your closest litter pick is visit the Connect Torfaen website.
If you would like to take part in an event, please come along and register on the day. Alternatively, to organise your own litter pick, please get in touch with rosie.seabourne@torfaen.gov.uk or Mark.panniers@torfaen.gov.uk
You can also take part in Keep Wales Tidy’s annual Spring Clean Cymru campaign, which begins Friday 25 March and runs until Sunday 10 April. For more information, visit https://keepwalestidy.cymru/
Volunteers are asked to wear weather appropriate clothing, gloves and sturdy, waterproof footwear to events, as some ground may be uneven or wet. Litter picking equipment will be supplied on the day and a safety talk will be given. Please bring a drink with you if the forecast is for warm weather.
If you would like to get involved in more litter picking after Spring Clean join our dedicated Facebook page Torfaen Greener Cleaner Volunteers to get involved.