Clean up Australia Day

Clean up Australia Day registrations now open

The next Clean Up Australia Day is Sunday 2 March 2008

Every year, from Perth to Penrith, hundreds of thousands of Australians get stuck in and clean up their local environment by collecting and removing rubbish on Clean Up Australia Day.

In 1989 an 'average Australian bloke' had a simple idea to make difference in his own backyard - Sydney Harbour.

"Simple, easy actions can protect the health of our water resources and help save drinking water supplies. There is not one individual who cannot help to make a difference to the health of the environment" Ian Kiernan AO, Chairman and Founder, Clean Up Australia.

Ian Kiernan's vision is an apolitical, non-profit community campaign in which everyone can participate.

Clean Up Australia Day is fun, easy and everyone can get involved. Individuals and local groups can either organise a Clean Up site or volunteer to join an existing site. Outlined below are the steps required to conduct a Clean Up site:

1. Select a site in your local area. It could be a park, waterway, bushland - anywhere in your local area. Local councils may also be able to assist you in identifying a potential site in your local area.
2. Register your site with Clean Up Australia via our website. We will then send you Clean Up Australia Day Kit containing refuse bags, gloves, posters etc and a "Site Guide" booklet outlining everything you need to know about conducting your site.
3. Organise rubbish collection through your local council. For sites registered on Sunday 2 March, many councils coordinate the collection of rubbish from the day so a courtesy call to the local council to confirm that they are providing this service is advised. For sites conducted on other dates, site coordinators need to liaise with councils regarding the possible collection of rubbish or make their own arrangements for disposal.
4. Promote your Clean Up site to attract volunteers.
5. In addition to the kit material received from Clean Up Australia, organise any other equipment you may require.
6. Conduct a site inspection and ensure you have implemented any risk controls. For more information on risk control, refer to the "Site Guide" booklet included in your kit.
7. Hold your Clean Up event.
8. Report back to Clean Up Australia on your site activities.

Click here to register now for 2008 Clean Up Australia Day

Or click here to download a Site Registration Form (156.43kb)

Clean Up Australia - The Facts

• Australians are among the highest producers of waste, per person, in the world.
• An estimated 7 billion cigarette butts end up in Australian waterways, streets and parklands each year.
• 80 million plastic bags are dumped in Australia each year - creating a serious threat to our precious marine life.
• 37% of all items collected on Clean Up Australia Day 2004 were plastic - recycling one tonne of plastic saves enough energy to run a refrigerator for a month.
• Recyclable material makes up almost 80% of total household waste in Australia.
• To date, Clean Up Australia Day participants have collected over 200,000 tonnes of rubbish - that's 4.7 million household wheelie bins