This year’s Spring Clean Cymru campaign organised by Keep Wales Tidy and supported by Monmouthshire County Council saw record numbers of organised litter picks across the area. Over 200 people participated in the week-long campaign.

Events arranged in Abergavenny, Chepstow, Crucorney, Monmouth, Trelech and Usk culminated in over 80 volunteers litter picking in Magor.  Support came from local businesses including the Co-operative and Roadchef.

Keep Wales Tidy and the council organised a Litter Champion Celebration on Thursday March 16th at the council’s Raglan Depot for over fifty community-spirited volunteers helping to keep Monmouthshire spick and span.  Councillor Bryan Jones, Monmouthshire’s cabinet member for council operations said:

“It’s fantastic that so many residents are willing to give up their time to keep the county beautiful and this should be celebrated.  It’s such a shame that some think it’s acceptable to litter and the huge increase in verge side litter across Wales is very disappointing.”

The council’s waste strategy manager Carl Touhig added:

“People’s cavalier attitude to the environment cost over £150,000 each year merely to keep the county’s main “A” roads clean.  Like many parts of the UK we have seen a big increase in verge side litter.  Crews are busy litter-picking along the main routes but this can only be done alongside planned maintenance work.  Many visitors come to Monmouthshire to enjoy its beauty so it’s baffling why people throw litter from vehicles when they could take it home and dispose of it properly.”

For more information visit: http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/dogfouling