Plan your own clean-up

Do you want to unite your community while doing your bit for the environment? Organise a clean-up!

Whether you're planning a one-time event or a regular monthly litter-picking activity, you can use this guide to organise a successful clean-up and make a positive change in your area:

Where and when

There are several things you should take into account when organising a clean-up event. Firstly, it is important to assess the area you wish to clean up. Identify the specific issues that need to be addressed and determine the scope of the project. This will help you to plan and allocate resources effectively.

If you are planning a clean-up near a coastal area, please make sure to check the tide times in advance of the event.

Involve the local community

Reach out to residents, community groups, and local businesses to gain their support and participation. This will not only increase the impact of your clean-up event but also foster a sense of community and ownership of the area. You can also let people know about your clean-up by registering your event with Live Here Love Here. 

Litter-picking equipment and H&S requirements

Ensure that proper safety measures are in place before beginning the clean-up. This includes providing participants with appropriate equipment, such as gloves and litter pickers. Many local councils can lend equipment to groups. You can find a helpful list of local council contact details here. 

As the event organiser, you must conduct a risk assessment and give a safety briefing to all participants. Volunteers must be aware of any potential hazards in the area and understand how to keep themselves safe.

We recommend that you avoid: 

• Handling any potentially dangerous items such as unknown cans or canisters, oil drums, chemical containers and sharp items. If dangerous, poisonous, or hazardous items are present, contact DAERA's Hazardous Waste department on 028 9056 9710.
• Hazardous areas like deep or fast-flowing water, steep, slippery or unstable banks, sharp rocks, derelict buildings, busy roads and electric fences. 
• Working alone – ask volunteers to employ a buddy system and stay in sight and earshot of others.

Make use of the key resources supplied in our Clean Up Health & Safety Pack. This includes a template risk assessment and our Hints & Tips Booklet to ensure a safe clean-up event.

Public Liability Insurance

Litter disposal

Each local council has different preferences on what to do with the litter collected by volunteers. If you plan to collect a significant amount of litter, contact your local council beforehand for advice on the best way to deal with it.

Reporting your results

When you complete a litter pick, you become one of the hundreds of thousands of volunteers on a collective mission to improve the environment! We need everyone who takes part to tell us how much they collected and what kind of litter is out there. This will help us tell the story of the scale of the challenge and advocate for change. After you’ve cleaned up, please report your results with us.

Make some noise!

Lastly, don't forget to celebrate your successes and recognise the hard work of all those involved. Share your progress on social media to inspire others to get involved and continue the momentum of positive change in your area.