Planning ahead

Decide where you would like to do your litter pick. You could clean up and enhance a local landmark, or take action on a well known 'grot spot'. Always get permission from the land owner for you activities. If you wish to litter pock on council owned land, you will have to ask permission well in advance of you event as the process for approval may take some time. Once you have decided on the time and date for your clean up register your event with TIDY NI.

At an early stage, decide on the arrangements for removal of the waste at the end of your event. Usually your council will help by collecting the rubbish or providing a skip. If you are removing it yourself, ensure you are able to dispose of it at your local civic amenity site (i.e. council 'tip').

If a commercial waste company is collecting the waste or delivering a skip, they will make a charge and want to know what the waste comprises.

How will you carry out your clean up? It could be a straightforward litter pick or you could have a theme or set a challenge. Think of ways to make your event as much fun as possible. Should refreshments be provided? As a rallying point for the event, choose a well known spot which will be familiar to everyone.

Risk Assessment

Having chosen a place for you clean up, visit the site and carrefully identify all the risks that you might face while you are there. When assessing the risks, the following are examples of hazards that you should make a note of:

• Unidentified cans or canisters, oil drums, poisons, insecticides, clinical waste, other hazardous substances, broken glass, condoms, syringes etc…
• Deep or fast flowing water, currents or tides, steep, slippery or unstable banks, sharp rocks, mud holes, derelict buildings, busy roads, electric fences, etc.
• Yellow and / or red signs generally indicate a hazard, even if you're not sure what the symbols mean. Take care to avoid areas marked with them.

If you think the area carries too many risks for you and your group, choose somewhere else. TIDY NI can help you to record your assessment or to help make decisions, please contact us if you have any questions.

Getting Help

The Cleansing, Environmental Health or Technical Services Department of your local council should be able to offer support by providing litter picking gadgets, refuse sacks, gloves and may provide a skip at your event. If making your own arrangements to get the litter you've collected off site, take their advice on where to legally dispose of the waste.

Target local companies who may be able to support your clean up by providing materials, services or a donation. For example, fast food restaurants may be able to supply refreshments and supermarkets might donate bin bags.

The Clean Up Crew

You may already be part of a group wishing to do a cleanup. If so, involve them at the planning stage and make it a real team effort.

If you plan a large scale clean up perhaps you could drum up some support from other groups in you're a area schools, scouts and guide groups, civic society, rotary clubs, tenants associations and environmental groups are just a few of the many who could be interested in making an impact on their local environment.

Community Involvement

If you want to involve a wide range of volunteers from different sectors of the community in your cleanup:

• Approach local residents either by leafleting, calling at homes, or through a residents group.

• Put up posters in local shops and supermarkets, in libraries, community and leisure centres, citizens advice bureau, schools and on church notice boards.

• Send out a press release to your local media calling for volunteers well in advance of your event with details of whom to contact and how people can get involved

• Contact your local council to see if they have a volunteer bureau or speak to your local community volunteer service who can help find volunteers and offer advice

Equipment and preparation

The following arrangements will have to be made and equipment organized prior to your clean up.

You will need a supply of refuse sacks and string or sticky tape to seal them. But other clean up equipment will come in useful, depending on the nature, type and size of your event and the resources available to you. Your local council will be able to help you with some of the following:

• As well as refuse sacks, clean up equipment could include litter pickers, gloves (water proof or heavy duty), wheelbarrows, rakes and shovels.

• Broken glass, sharp metal etc… will break through refuse sacks and may cause injury. Have safe containers for their collection if you are removing this type of litter.

• For any scale of clean up event, have a first aid kit and anti-bacterial wipes (remember to let your volunteers know who the first aider is).

• For a large scale event you could contact your local ambulance service or voluntary first aid organizations such as the Red Cross or St John's Ambulance for advice. They may even be able to provide cover and assistance.

• If you are likely to come across hypodermic needles or drugs related litter, have a contact number for the council who will organize a rapid response for their removal. Do not touch these yourselves.

• A skip or other means of efficient removal of collected rubbish after your event is useful.

• If supervisors need to stay in touch, mobile phones or walkie talkies will be required.

• Arrange specialist help such as the council, police, fire brigade, armed forces or a professional company if clearing abandoned cars or heavy objects.

Protective gear and Equipment

Make a list of useful equipment and work out who will provide what. Check if any volunteers can provide their own equipment. Your local council may also be able to help or advise on obtaining protective wear or equipment.

Preparations

As organizer, you will have visited the site and done a risk assessment before the event. It may be helpful to make a sketch map of the area to be tackled. Note where the skip or litter collection points should be. If you are expecting a large number of people, you may also want to identify a 'lost and found' point and a first aid point. Mark on the map the location of any toilets, the nearest public phone and any other useful amenities such as cycle or car parks, bus stops or train station. You might also note places where you could shelter from the rain if the weather turns against you. This map can then be used on the day to show different groups where they should be working, the set up for the day and the facilities available.

Informing, instructing and organising

All volunteers will need to be informed and instructed prior to the event. Depending on the nature, size and type of event, this may include:

• Health and safety risks (these will be determined by the risk assessment carried out and the risks defined).

• Precautions to avoid these risks and how to protect against them

• How to use any equipment provided

• The agreed area or route and event procedures

• Where and what time to meet and finishing time

• Advise volunteers in advance to dress for the occasion. Strong, comfortable boots or shoes will be needed; perhaps also warm, waterproof clothing and head gear. Gloves are essential if litter picking by hand. Fluorescent arm bands or clothing should be worn if working in poor light or anywhere near traffic.

• Location of toilet facilities and refreshments (depending on the length of your event).

• First aid arrangements

• The location of the nearest telephone or access to a mobile phone.

Publicity

Clean ups can be excellent community events and great local stories. Let your local media know what you are doing and you may attract publicity and get recognition for your efforts.

Contact the news desk of your local newspaper, radio or television station to inform them of your event - you can get the contact number from the yellow pages or directory enquires. Let them know at least one week before the event so that they can put the date in their diary. It's a good idea to remind them of your event.

The date and timing of your event has to suit you and your volunteers but if possible organize your event at a convenient time for the media. Photo calls in the morning are preferable so deadlines can be met for evening newspapers or broadcasts. Provide the media with an interesting angle to ensure your story is covered. Make sure you let the media know:

• Who is taking part

• When your activity is taking place

• Where are you cleaning up

• Why you chose that particular location

• What is interesting, unusual or unique about your event

• How you are going to do your clean up

Don't be disheartened if the media do not cover your story. On the day, other news stories may take precedence over yours. Just make sure your volunteers have as much fun as possible - regard the media coverage as a bonus.

Sponsorship and funding

This largely depends on the type of event that you have in mind and whether you wish to continue your environmental work after your clean up.

• You could approach local companies to help provide the necessary equipment for your event or to sponsor a litter bin (perhaps with their name on it). You will need to contact your local council for help to install and service a litter bin in a public place.

• Fundraising events could be organised e.g. aluminium can collection, car boot sales, environmental fair, auction or a jumble sale to raise funds for future events.

• Your local council may a small grants scheme for environmental projects.

Be considerate

If you are working in the country, parks, woodland or open spaces, avoid disturbing animals or damaging plants. Keep gates closed and don't clean up natural 'rubbish' such as logs, stones and weeds. They may look untidy but they are home to animals and birds. Before your clean up, get some advice from an expert; your local council may be able to give you a contact name. Make sure your activities don't interfere with people in the vicinity who are not involved in the litter pick. In particular, tell volunteers not to go on to other people's property.

Avoiding danger is important

Hazardous Waste: make sure everyone is aware of potentially dangerous items which they should not pick up.

If nasty or dangerous pieces of litter such as unidentified drums, cans or canisters of chemicals, poisons or insecticides or syringes are spotted at any stage during your litter pick, do not attempt to move them yourself. Make a note of their location and inform your local council.

Natural Dangers: avoid holding your litter pick near potentially dangerous places such as steep or slippery banks, fast flowing water or derelict buildings.

Line pins and tape can be used to section off any potentially dangerous areas. For a large operation, a loudhailer could be useful to warn participants to stay within the designated area.

Take particular care of children and don't attempt too much.

Consider the ages of the children involved in your clean up and make sure that a sufficient number of adults are present to supervise. In the case of young children we advise no more than four children to one adult.

Before your clean up, make sure children understand which items are potentially dangerous and should not be picked up. Warn them not to pick up any items that they are the least bit unsure about. But also be aware that very young children may not heed your warnings. Don't let children attempt to pick up heavy or bulky items. Ensure that they have adult help for any weightier tasks.

If you are working anywhere near roadways, canals, rivers, ponds or beaches, make sure that there are responsible people appointed specifically to keep an eye on safety. Don't allow children near such areas.

With children, do no more than a one hour stint. If only adults are involved, attempt only what is within everyone's capacity and allow for rest breaks. Two to three hours of litter picking is usually enough unless you're extremely dedicated.

Other dangers

Giant hogweed is an 'injurious weed' and can cause harm to people and animals. Great care should be taken when working near this weed and it should not be touched at any time. Seek immediate medical advice if skin comes into contact with the weed and irritation, rashes or blistering occur.

Weil's Disease (Leptospirosis) is a very rare infection carried in rats' urine and can be fatal. The symptoms include high temperature, severe headaches, flu-like illness or muscle pains. They will appear three to 19 days after exposure to contaminated water. It must be treated early.

If you discover fly tipping, see someone fly tipping or come across dumped or hazardous waste, report it to the local council.

Insurance cover

Obtaining public liability insurance is very important and not very expensive. This will provide cover for your legal liability during the event, including damage or injury to a member of the public or their property.

If you represent an organisation such as a local council or school it is possible that you already have insurance in place but it is important to check that litter picks/activity is covered under such insurance. If not, a suitable extension should be made to the policy.

The result

Note the amount of rubbish collected (number of bags), number of volunteers involved and the number of hours worked. Make a note of any unusual items found. Be sure to register your clean up events with TIDY NI using our online form. You could also record your progress by taking "before" and "after" photographs of your clean up.

These facts and photographs can be used to record and report back on your event.

Recycling

It's good practice to recycle the litter you've collected, if at all possible. Contact the Recycling Officer at your local council for advice on whether certain materials should be collected separately, where they should be taken or how they should be disposed of.

If you have any queries or would like more information about the Big Spring Clean please call 028 9073 6920 or email patricia.magee@tidynorthernireland.org