The Solent Forum

Working in partnership for the future

Take Part in a Litter Pick

Litter picking — Photo courtesy of the Environment Agency

Photo courtesy of the Environment Agency

Plan your pick

Before you set out you need to think about health and safety and any risks associated with your site. We have a page on all the things that you may need to consider with useful links. The PPP project has a guide on how to plan a litter pick.

Litter Free Dorset have some great guidance on organising and planning a litter pick including how to prepare.

Picking equipment

Borrow equipment

You may be able to borrow litter picking equipment from the local council or share equipment with other local litter picking groups. Ask the street cleansing team at your borough or district council. For example, New Forest National District Council have litter picking kits you can borrow. Most of the organised groups will provide you with equipment if you book a place on a beach clean. The 2min beach clean stations have bags and pickers which are available for public use, find them on their online map. Surfers Against Sewage have beach clean boxes that you may also be able to borrow.

Discarded children's toys — Photo courtesy of Alastair Scarlett

Photo courtesy of Alastair Scarlett

How do I record the information on what I find from my litter pick?

The Marine Conservation Society have a simple recording form that you can download and use.

The Tidy Britain Group have an online 'click and count' form that you can use from a phone.

The data from litter picks is very helpful to those organisations with duties for waste collection and the cleaning of beaches, rivers and their banks. It can help to set policy and future management especially if you submit it on a standard form. If you do record your pick then please send it in to your local relevant authority, e.g, district or borough council.

Recycling or disposing of collected litter

Please make sure you have thought about, and made prior arrangements for the litter to be collected. Ideally this should be on the same day as the pick. See our guidance page and contact details for local authority waste departments. When you leave the waste out for collection, you must ensure that you are not blocking any access points or public footpaths. Try to avoid leaving bags by public bins as they can become ripped and the litter escaped before they are collected.

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