Change can start with you on Clean Up Australia Day

East Gippsland Shire Council is encouraging residents to get involved in Clean Up Australia Day events.

Mayor Cr Natalie O’Connell said each year local community groups including Friends and Landcare groups, Scouts, sporting groups, schools, families and individuals organise clean-up sites to combat the litter problems throughout the shire.

The theme for 2019 is ‘Change starts with you’.

“Council is supporting these individuals and groups who are hosting a registered Clean Up event by offering free disposal of collected rubbish at the nearest relevant waste facility,” Cr O’Connell said.

“Clean Up Australia Day is the perfect opportunity for everyone to come together and help clean up our local parks, bushland, beaches and waterways and think about how we can reduce our impact on the environment.

“We expect many groups and towns to be involved in this fantastic community event and celebrate the memory of Ian Kiernan AO, the founder of the organisation who passed in October 2018.”

Organisers of registered Clean Up Australia Day events can take waste to their closest landfill or transfer station at no cost, but you will need to ensure you are using your official Clean Up Australia Day bags and your event has been registered. Bags will be accepted from Saturday, March 2 to Monday, March 4. Council cannot collect the bags.

Businesses are encouraged to focus their action on Business Clean Up Day on Tuesday, February 26, with Schools running their own Clean Up on Friday, March 1, and youth and community groups over the weekend of March 2-3. 

For more information, contact Council’s Manager Waste and Resource Recovery Kartik Venkatraman on 5153 9500 or email [email protected] or visit www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au