Clean sweep on the way for Laois
Paul Flanagan, Valdimir Balaz and Mary McGill of AES Recycling are pictured at the launch of Clean Up Laois Week, to be held from 6-10 April. Photo: Alf Harvey
TOWNS and villages across Laois are set for a clean sweep, with the upcoming return of Clean Up Week.
Laois Co Council is asking local communities to ‘spring into action’ in the fight against litter from Monday 6 to Friday 10 April, in partnership with sponsors AES Recycling.
Groups, communities, neighbours and friends can register with the council’s environment section to receive free packs of bags, gloves and litter pickers. The collected rubbish will be gathered by AES Recycling from 13 to 17 April, the week after the clean-up.
Run by An Taisce for the past 27 years, the annual national Clean Up Week 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 at laois.ie or by contacting 057 8689315 or cleanupweek@laoiscoco.ie.
A council spokesperson said: ‘‘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.
‘By participating in organised clean-ups, groups and individuals of all ages play a significant role in reducing litter and protecting biodiversity, while also bringing communities together.’
Acknowledging ‘the great work done’ by all groups involved, the council is asking people to be ‘extra vigilant’ in their own areas by reporting litter offences, unauthorised waste collectors or fly tipping on the confidential freephone litter hotline at 1800 32 32 30.
According to An Taisce, the annual campaign has seen 12 million hours of volunteering and an estimated 47,500 tons of litter collected nationwide since it began.
