The National Spring Clean is Ireland’s official anti-litter campaign and over the past 24 years, the initiative has highlighted the collective responsibility we share in tackling and preventing our national litter problem. National Spring Clean is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce in partnership with Local Authorities and supported by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Mars Wrigley Ireland. Throughout the month of April, the National Spring Clean encouraged communities from across Ireland to tackle the problem of litter in local areas and to see the benefits of a litter-free environment.
This year over 400 Dublin groups registered to carry out clean-ups throughout the county making Spring Clean 23 one of Ireland’s largest anti-litter campaign to date. Over 15,000 volunteers joined Spring Clean 23 in County Dublin removing an estimated 85 tonnes of litter. Furthermore, National Spring Clean has been a starting point for a large number of groups to organise regular clean-up events all year long!
Among the groups who joined the National Spring Clean this year, Tallaght Community Council hosted several clean-ups throughout the months of March and April, collecting an average of 10 bags of litter for each clean-up. Among the common litter items found, the group noticed an increase in smoking related litter, particularly vape waste materials. In addition to clean-ups that had already been organised, over 80 groups and communities all across Dublin joined forces Dublin’s Four Local Authorities, Clean Coasts, National Spring Clean, Local Authority Waters Programme, Waterways Ireland, Dublin City Canals, Dodder Action, residents, volunteers, and community groups county-wide for the Dublin Community Cleanup on 22nd April.
National Spring Clean, Manager, Emlyn Cullen, added “This was one of our biggest years ever with regards to people taking part. We can’t thank the volunteers enough for giving up their time and energy to make Ireland a cleaner, greener country this April. Huge credit also goes to the Local Authorities who work hard during the month to collect the full bags after events. Also I’d like to thank our funders, the Dept. of Environment, Climate and Communications and sponsors, Mars Wrigley Ireland.”
