This Friday (September 20) marks the beginning of Clean Up Week, which encourages people to collect litter in their local area.

Clean Up Week is an annual, nationwide event organised by Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) and it runs until next Friday (September 27).

KNZB mobilises as many as 70,000 volunteers for Clean Up Week each year - cleaning up beaches, picking up litter, removing graffiti, planting trees and much more.

“In 2023, we had 67,200 volunteers register to take part in 627 clean up events across Aotearoa,” KNZB said in a statement. 

“Volunteers collected a total of 652 tonnes of waste over an area equivalent to 5,728 rugby fields.”

Wānaka has a strong clean up week track record, with schools, youth clubs, community associations, service clubs and more getting involved.

One of the local clean-ups this year will take place on Friday at Bremner Bay, where locals can enjoy a sausage sizzle after the event (3pm-5pm).

As in previous years, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) will support the event by offering free disposal of litter collected during Clean Up Week at its Wānaka and Frankton transfer stations. 

“We just ask that the person dropping off the litter is the same person stated in the event registration form, that they have ID, and bring the digital token provided as part of the registration process with them to show to the transfer station staff,” a QLDC spokesperson said.

“We’re also encouraging people to use reusable and sustainable clean-up kits using everyday items like buckets and gardening gloves. For those without, we offer loanable litter kits from Queenstown, Frankton and Wānaka libraries. Each kit includes a pickup tool, high-vis vest, cut-resistant gloves and a reusable bag.”

The Keep New Zealand Beautiful website also has a list of events that people can join, or they can create their own event.

Clean Up Week is sponsored by Waste Management, Enviro NZ and Mars Wrigley.

PHOTO: Supplied