National Spring Clean

National Spring Clean is organised on a national level by An Taisce in April each year. The idea behind this initiative is to encourage local communities to take pride in their own locality by selecting a known "grot spot" and giving it a "Spring Clean".

Newbridge Tidy Towns Association have participated in National Spring Clean Events over the years - examples of projects undertaken include a cleanup of the Liffey, a Hedgerow Cleanup (where tonnes of litter was removed from the hedgerows on the approach roads to the town.

Can you help with a clean-up project?

It’s OUR litter and OUR responsibility!

National Spring Clean is a yearly event that happens every April. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers all over the country come out and clean up our countryside, cities and towns. National Spring Clean encourages people from every sector of society to organise and actively participate in a clean up event. Newbridge Tidy Towns Association are calling on Residents Associations, Schools, Community Groups, Sport Clubs, Scouting and Youth Groups, Voluntary Organisations and indeed individuals who simply want to clean up their own area to come out during April and participate in the annual National Spring Clean.

In 2009 An Taisce estimated that approximately 400,000 volunteers participated in over 3,000 clean up events nationwide. Newbridge Tidy Towns carried out a cleanup of the River Liffey during the month, among the debris removed from the Liffey were:

Four bicycles, bed bases, steel racking (warehouse racking), numerous wheels and tyres, signage.

In addition many Residents Associations came out and cleaned their Residential Estates, and the roadside verges outside their estates.a significant number of those volunteers came out in Newbridge and cleaned up hedgerows on approach roads to the town, and participated in other clean up events organised by Residents Associations. National Spring Clean is Ireland's largest anti-litter initiative you are the solution to litter pollution.

Newbridge Tidy Towns is co-ordinating the event in Newbridge “As far as we are concerned the objective of the National Spring Clean is to encourage clean-ups throughout the whole month of April, heighten awareness of litter and waste issues and indeed to promote the notion of personal responsibility for litter”

“We need people in the town to volunteer both to organise and participate in the National Spring Clean campaign, not just during the month of April, but all year round and keep your local environment a cleaner and more enjoyable place to live in or to work in.”

National Spring Clean is an opportunity for the whole community of Newbridge to come together and take action against all types of litter that spoil our town, amenity areas and countryside.

Our advice is just choose an area nearby to clean up and get together with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues to make your event successful. This is an opportunity to be part of the solution not the problem.

The Association also suggests that people should segregate the litter collected, as much of it will be recyclable items such as cans, glass etc, and these could be placed in approved recycling bins which are available around the town. The An Taisce “Clean-up kit” generally include colour coded recycling bags making it easier to ensure that the litter collected is segregated and can be presented for recycling.

Litter is one of the most widespread forms of pollution in our society and it’s a growing problem. It costs nine times more to clean than if placed directly into street bins, household bins or recycling banks - more than half the contents of litter is can, glass and plastic bottles and these should be recycled. People litter where there already is litter - if an area is clean it is more likely to stay clean, and most litter relates to food packaging.

To Report Littering use the FREEPHONE Litter Line –1800 243 143

Everyone who registers with An Taisce will receive a FREE Clean-Up Kit and Youth Pack which contains all the information needed to organise a successful clean-up such as health and safety instructions, tips on gaining media coverage and writing press releases, how to make your event more interesting and also posters, competitions and games. Practical materials such as refuse sacks, litter pickers, tabards and gloves are also provided. An activity pack for uniform groups is also available.

Contact An Taisce TODAY:
Email:An Taisce or phone 01 707 7066 to receive your free cleanup kit

Also keep an eye for advertisements from Kildare County Council in your local papers, as the Council will no doubt be providing practical help and assistance to those engaged in National Spring Clean.

Newbridge - YOUR Town – It’s easy to make a difference!