Organise a community litter pick

If you are organising a litter pick in your local area, we can:

• lend you litter pickers
• provide waste bags
• collect the waste bags after your litter pick

You can also join an existing litter pick group. View a list of local litter picking groups on the online directory.

We may be able to drop off equipment to a home address or your local town or parish council.

Our risk assessment covers the council staff preparing and distributing equipment. It does not include individuals taking part in the litter picking events.

Make sure you have carried out your own risk assessment.

Use this form to request:

• waste bags and litter pickers
• collection of bagged waste from an agreed collection point

You will need to contact us to arrange collection of the litter pick equipment. Use a new equipment form if this was not in your original request.

You will need to sanitise the handle of the litter pickers using anti-bacterial cleaning products and place them into a disposable bag.

If you will be holding more than one event during the year, the litter pickers can be retained on a long term basis.

Waste needs to be left in a safe place for crews to collect, away from road junctions.

We can only offer removal of bagged litter that has been collected from public land. We cannot remove waste that was collected from private land. Do not attempt to remove hazardous or fly-tipped waste.

Only litter pick where you feel safe and comfortable to do so. Always litter pick in daylight, and wear appropriate clothing and footwear, including a hi vis vest if possible.

Do not litter pick along roads with a speed limit of more than 30mph, highways, highway verges, or any roads where there is no pavement or footpath. Avoid litter picking on steep slopes, cliff edges or in water courses.

We have seen a rise in the numbers of nitrous oxide canisters found on our streets, especially during litter picks. Do not dispose of these within your general or mixed recycling waste. Leave these where they are or place into a separate bag at the end of your property and request a removal on FixMyStreet.

When carrying out your litter pick, if you come across fly tipping, do not collect or move the waste. Report the fly tipping online, this will allow us to investigate and arrange for the appropriate organisation to remove the waste.

View the Keep Britain Tidy guidance to read more about keeping safe before carrying out any litter picking activity.