Skip to main content
Menu

Organise a community litter pick or clean-up

On this page

Keeping Peterborough tidy

Keeping Peterborough clean and tidy is a day-to-day task for us and our partner Aragon Direct Services.

Each year, we spend over £1m cleansing our city's streets and public places. This includes picking up litter that people choose not to dispose of correctly.

We welcome support from residents, businesses and the National Probation Service in keeping our city litter free. If you'd like to report litter to us or get involved with litter picking, please see our information below.

The environment belongs to everyone

Report litter

Please visit our report it online page to let us know about:

  • Litter
  • Fly-tipping
  • Graffiti
  • Broken glass

Become a litter picking volunteer

If you are interested in joining a litter pick and not sure where to begin, we recommend you contact your local ward councillor and they will point you in the right direction.

Alternatively, there are the Peterborough Litter Wombles (PLW). Formed in 2021, the PLW are a group of community volunteers who work with us to clean up Peterborough and keep it free of litter. They run group litter picks on most weekends throughout the year and also host corporate litter picks.

How to organise your own community litter pick or clean up

How we can support your litter pick

We support groups undertaking litter picks on council-owned / public land across the city.

Our contractor Aragon Direct Services can:

  • Lend you grabbers and hi-vis jackets / vests
  • Provide refuse bags
  • Collect the bags of litter from a pre-arranged location
  • Dispose of the bags of litter

This service is free of charge. Please give Aragon Direct Services a minimum of one week's notice.

If you want to litter pick on private land

If you intend to undertake a litter pick on private land, you must liaise with the landowner and obtain their permission. We do not lend equipment for litter picks on private land. We also do not collect and dispose of any waste collected on private land.

Guidance on organising a litter pick on public land with our support

We have put together the following guidance on how to organise a litter pick on council-owned / public land.

Please note you must agree the details of your litter pick with Aragon Direct Services in advance.

Please contact Aragon Direct Services to arrange a date for your community litter pick.

When you email, please provide:

  • Your name and contact details
  • Date and location of your community litter pick
  • Estimated number of participants (you can update this nearer the time)
  • Location of where Aragon should collect your waste bags from

Please give Aragon Direct Services a minimum of one week's notice.

Email: enquiries@aragondirect.co.uk

Public land

We support members of the public undertaking litter picks on council-owned land across the city. You probably already have a location in mind, but you can also contact Aragon Direct Services for some suggestions.

Email: enquiries@aragondirect.co.uk.

We do not permit members of the public to undertake any litter picking on roads with a speed limit above 30mph. This also applies to areas where there are safety control measures in place - e.g. safety barriers. Litter picking at these locations will be undertaken by ourselves or our contractor.

Private land

If you intend to undertake a litter pick on private land, you must liaise with the landowner and obtain their permission. We do not lend equipment for litter picks on private land. We also do not collect and dispose of any waste collected on private land.

To support your litter pick on public land, Aragon Direct Services can:

  • Lend you grabbers and hi-vis jackets / vests
  • Provide refuse bags

This service is free of charge.

You need to contact Aragon Direct Services to arrange dates and times to collect and return the equipment at their office:

Nursery Lane
Fengate
PE1 5BG

You must sign a disclaimer upon receiving the equipment and again when returning it. Please identify any missing or damaged items upon return.

Organiser responsibility

It is your responsibility to assess the area for any risks before, and during, the litter picking session and only continue if it is safe to do so.

Roads with a speed limit above 30mph

We do not permit members of the public to undertake any litter picking on roads with a speed limit above 30mph. This also applies to areas where there are safety control measures in place - e.g. safety barriers.

Safety equipment

Please use appropriate safety equipment including a litter grabber and hi-vis jacket. If undertaking on public land, Aragon Direct Services can lend you this equipment free of charge.

Public liability insurance

Volunteers are not working for or on behalf of Peterborough City Council and are not covered by the council's public liability insurance. It is your responsibility to assess the area for any risks before, and during, the litter picking session and only continue if it is safe to do so.

Litter picking safety checklist

Take the time to review our safety checklist further down this page. It provides helpful tips to make sure your event is as safe and successful as possible.

Litter picking risk assessment

Make sure you visit the litter picking location in advance and complete a risk assessment to ensure you have captured all of the potential issues and have control measures in place.

We have published a sample risk assessment document you can use further down this page.

Following your litter pick, please call Aragon Direct Services on 01733 425 300. Tell them the exact quantity of bags and location for collection. Please advise if there are any additional objects which could not fit into bags.

Please remember they cannot collect and dispose of waste collected from private land.

Take photos of the clean-up in your community. Share these on social media groups or community newsletters. It could inspire others to organise their own. Tag @peterboroughcc and we will share your success with our followers. You can also email communications@peterborough.gov.uk.

Please note:

Litter picking volunteers are not working for or on behalf of Peterborough City Council and are not covered by the council's public liability insurance.

Litter picking safety checklist

Take the time to review our checklist with helpful tips to make sure your event is as safe and successful as possible.

Do

  • Use grabbers to pick up ALL litter, including glass and metal items
  • Be aware of your environment to avoid risks
  • Litter pick during full daylight hours
  • Clean hands thoroughly before eating and drinking
  • Wear hi-vis jackets / vests
  • Wear stout shoes and weather appropriate clothing
  • Stay clear of water, rock, mud and other potentially unstable or hazardous surfaces
  • Follow local rules, our guidelines, including safe and lawful parking
  • Avoid contact with the body when carrying any bags of litter
  • Ensure bags can be easily tied up so debris does not escape
  • Ensure all cuts or abrasions are clean and covered with a waterproof plaster

Don't

  • Don’t pick up any items that cannot be easily identified or where they are clearly hazardous, including needles and drug paraphernalia. Report any potentially dangerous items to Aragon Direct Services on 01733 425 300.
  • Don’t attempt to remove dead or live animals. Please report any animals to Aragon Direct Services on 01733 425 300.
  • Don’t compress rubbish using hands and feet, as this could accidentally puncture skin.
  • Don’t pick alongside roads with more than a 30mph speed limit. If you pick alongside parish lanes, always wear hi-vis vests. Be aware of traffic at all times. Stop litter picking to allow vehicles to pass.
  • Don’t overfill bags or place heavy items into bags. Avoid lifting heavy sacks alone.
  • Don’t confront anyone you see littering
  • Don’t attempt to lift bulky or heavy items. Please report these to Aragon Direct Services on 01733 425 300.

Litter picking risk assessment

It is your responsibility to assess the area for any risks before, and during, the litter picking session and only continue if it is safe to do so.

Make sure you visit the litter picking location in advance and complete a risk assessment to ensure you have captured all of the potential issues and have control measures in place.

We have published a sample risk assessment document you can use.

Litter_picking_risk_assessment193KB–pdf
Size: 193KBFile format: pdf
Published: 05 November 2024