NEW CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA INITIATIVE
CLEAN Up Australia Day will feature a new initiative this year as thousands registered nationwide are being asked to “UNMASK” Australia’s Litter problem.
As part of Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday, March 6, participants are being encouraged to count the number of masks removed from the environment and register that number as part of the “Citizen Science Project”.
“Plastics in disposable masks can take up to 450 years to break down and researchers have warned littered single-use masks could be releasing chemical pollutants and nano-plastics into the environment," Clean Up Australia Chairman Pip Kiernan said.
"In 2020, more than three billion single-use masks were thrown out across the globe every day, contributing to a significant portion of pandemic-related litter entering the environment.
"Disposable masks don't belong in the environment and we are calling on volunteers to rally together and help us remove and count them on Clean Up Australia Day…and let us know the scale of the problem locally in Australia."
Copper Coast Council is registered with Clean Up Australia Day and have five groups already registered for the national event.
A Copper Coast Council spokesperson said Council is supportive of the new initiative and encourages members of the community to get involved.
“We are aware of the amount of face masks appearing in gutters, along roadsides, coastal areas and various other public shared areas, and this initiative will help shed some light on this issue,” the spokesperson said.
"Clean Up Australia events are usually held in March each year, but council encourages events held anytime during the year.
"A registered event can be a large group keen to tidy a large road corridor or as small as an individual or family to tidy a smaller area of interest.
"The locations are limited to public community areas—not private property.
"If you or someone you know is interested in establishing a registered event, please refer to council's website."
Individuals and groups can look at joining an already registered event or create their own, but must do so in the next couple of weeks in order to process registrations and ensure cleaning kits are delivered on time.
Council will accept waste collected from registered events in public areas and community land at the Resource Recovery Centre, Wallaroo, at no charge.
Please ensure arrangements are made with Council’s Waste Management Team on 08 8828 1200 before your event.
To register or donate, please visit cleanup.org.au
Clean Up Australia Day – Sunday 6 March 2022
Schools Clean Up Day – Friday 4 March 2022
Business Clean Up Day – Tuesday 1 March 2022