Appeal to join in with Scotland's national spring clean and help tackle litter emergency

Recent figures show that 90% of people agree that litter is a problem across Scotland and the organisation’s #SpringCleanScotland 2024 mass litter pick will begin on March 15 and run until April 28, bringing together people from across the country to to help deal with the problem.

Last year more than 30,000 people across Scotland rolled up their sleeves and, equipped with litter pickers, bags and gloves, made a positive difference to their own neighbourhoods, but this year organisers are hoping for an even bigger national response.

With litter significantly impacting the cleanliness of 75% of Scotland’s streets and roads, #SpringCleanScotland 2024 will inspire action to reverse the deterioration in environmental quality in the country’s neighbourhoods.

With four key themes - Nature, Communities, Health & Wellbeing and Marine Litter – this year, it is time for everyone to step up and play their part. Every action, however small, makes a difference.

Just half an hour of picking up litter and disposing of it safely can help an area look cleaner and feel safer.

Evidence also shows it prevents more litter being dropped, and 89% of those that took part in last year’s #SpringCleanScotland said going outdoors to litter pick helped them relax and unwind

Barry Fisher, at Keep Scotland Beautiful chief executive, said: “Encouragingly, our research confirms that 85% of people agree that they want to see more efforts to prevent litter in their area.

“It starts with us. No longer can we wait for someone else to pick up the litter we might walk past every day – so we are inviting everyone to organise a litter pick with friends, family, workmates or alone, or to join an event registered on our Clean Up Scotland map.

"Every action, however small, will help us reverse the litter emergency.”

Anyone wishing to find out more, access tools and resources and sign up to local events can do so at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/springclean.

More about the organisation’s National Litter and Flytipping Strategy can also be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/litter.