25 years of spring cleaning
Last month saw An Taisce wrapped up the 25th anniversary of the National Spring Clean which saw more than 5,400 Spring Clean events take place throughout the country, including many in Cork.
Every April, the National Spring Clean encourages communities from across Ireland to roll up their sleeves and tackle the problem of litter in local areas and to see the benefits of a litter-free environment.
This year, 5,430 groups registered to carry out clean-ups throughout the country, with more than 500,000 volunteers participating in organised clean-ups, collecting an estimated 2,725 tonnes of litter. This brings the total amount of rubbish collected over the past 25 years of the campaign to more than 50,200 tonnes. Furthermore, the National Spring Clean has inspired several community groups in towns and villages across the country to organise regular clean-up events all year long.
In county Cork, approximately 550 clean-ups were registered to take place, with almost 11,000 volunteers joining the campaign.
Among them, Bere Island residents came together for a successful Spring Clean 2024 event, boasting participation from approximately 30 volunteers spanning all age groups. The collaborative effort turned the clean-up into a joyful intergenerational occasion, fostering a sense of unity and pride within the community. Following the success of the weekend clean-up, volunteers decided to extend the initiative throughout the month, with smaller groups focusing on cleaning up their local areas. The endeavour received crucial support from the local ferry company, providing a free trip to transport collected bags to the recycling centre in Castletownbere.
The National Spring Clean 2024 has been described as an opportunity for communities to come together and care for their local environment and help with creating a more sustainable community.
Minister of State at the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ossian Smyth TD, said: “Over the past 25 years, An Taisce’s National Spring Clean campaign has been a huge success. I am delighted to see another year of positive engagement and community impact. It is fantastic to see the pride individuals take in their local communities. Their dedication and commitment create a really positive impact on their local environment.”
National Spring Clean, Chairperson, Emlyn Cullen, added: “This year marked an important year for An Taisce as we celebrated 25 years of the National Spring Clean, and we are so proud to collected over 2,725 tonnes of litter. Thanks to the huge effort of our dedicated volunteers, over 50,200 tonnes of litter has been collected over the past 25 years. I’d like to thank all the individuals and groups who came out in droves to help support this campaign.”
Mars Wrigley Ireland Corporate Affairs Specialist Anne Sheeran stated: “Mars Wrigley is delighted to once again support the National Spring Clean, particularly on this milestone 25th anniversary. It is always impressive to see the large numbers of people who get involved to better their communities. As an organisation, we remain committed to playing our part in the delivery of a cleaner planet, by supporting important initiatives such as the National Spring Clean.”
The 2024 National Spring Clean campaign focused on highlighting how the adoption of a circular economy model will reduce our litter and climate impact, by highlighting how the transition to a more circular economy will see less waste, less litter, and lower emissions, and thus, a cleaner planet.
These principles of a circular economy have always been central to the ethos of National Spring Clean - this year some 35% of all waste collected was recycled, thanks to recyclable waste bags provided to groups and individuals who register, while the removal of litter from our natural environment has helped tackle biodiversity loss.