Vapes, cigarette butts, coffee cups and soft plastics are amongst the commonly reported items collected by volunteers on Clean Up Australia Day – but you can’t help but be shocked by the scale of what ends up in our environment as litter, says Pip Kiernan, Chair of Clean Up Australia.

With just days until Clean Up Australia Day 2024 on Sunday 3 March, the well-known environmental organisation is calling on all Australians to join with their local communities and take action by registering now. 

In 2023, over 760,000 Australians pulled on their gloves and gathered for the iconic Clean Up Australia Day.

Clean Up Australia is hoping to see a similar, if not better response, this year as generations come together to help tidy our local communities while seeing first-hand why we need to work together to prevent litter from entering our environment in the first place.

According to Ms Kiernan, “Clean Up Australia Day is the largest volunteer clean up event across the nation each year and the most practical way to educate and demonstrate waste prevention.” 

“By rolling up our sleeves and witnessing the sheer quantity as well as the common types of litter lining our streets, bushlands and waterways, we can gain a better insight into our own personal or household footprints on the environment. It encourages each of us to consider practical ways we can prevent that litter in the first place.” 

Registrations for Clean Up Australia Day 2024 are still open. All volunteers receive a free Clean Up kit, containing gloves and bags and other resources, with packs for individuals, families and community groups available (businesses are asked to pay a small fee to cover costs). 

“We are always excited for new community members to join us who are yet to see what makes Clean Up Australia Day such a rewarding experience and why each year our community members keep coming back for more. It is such a special time to come together to care for and protect our environment for future generations,” Ms Keirnan says.

If you are unable to participate, donations to Clean Up Australia are welcomed with 100 per cent of funds raised going directly to empowering Australians to take positive action for the environment and providing Clean Up kits.

Register at cleanup.org.au for Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 3 March and Schools Clean Up Day on Friday 1 March. Business Clean Up Day was on Tuesday 27 February.

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