Keep New Zealand Beautiful Clean Up Week begins today (Saturday September 16) and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) hopes the local community will dig deep to make a difference.

People doing their bit to keep the district clean during the week will be able to dispose of the waste they collect free of charge at QLDC’s transfer stations and borrow ‘Litter Kits’ from the local library.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful mobilises up to 70,000 volunteers for Clean Up Week each year - cleaning up beaches, picking up litter, removing graffiti, planting trees and much more.

“Getting involved in Clean Up Week is an easy way to be a caring steward of our environment, and it makes such a wonderful difference to our communities,” QLDC waste minimisation project officer Kath Buttar said.

Rubbish collected as part of Clean Up Week can be disposed of free of charge at QLDC transfer stations.

“So get your friends, whānau, school, business or local community group together, grab a bucket or reusable collection bag and some gardening gloves and choose an area to clear of litter.”

Kath said the Litter Kits at the Wānaka Library will be helpful for smaller clean-up crews.

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

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

In order for disposal costs to be free of charge participants must be registered with Keep New Zealand Beautiful. 

“We do ask that the person dropping off the litter is the same person named in the KNZB registration form, and that they have both ID and the digital token provided by KNZB as part of the event registration process,” Kath said.

Find more information or register at the Keep New Zealand Beautiful website here.

PHOTOS: Supplied