Discover Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester: Join the Cleanup Movement

08 Sep, 2023

Written By: Josh Morris

Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester

Welcome to our litter picking blog!

The ultimate destination for our eco-warriors on a mission to make the world a cleaner, greener place, one piece of litter at a time!

Here, we don't just pick up litter; we transform it into inspiration and action.

Join our litter-picking blog as we share local groups near you that you can get involved in, tips and tricks for getting started, and the joy of turning a littered landscape into a pristine paradise.

Together, let's roll up our sleeves, put on those gloves, and embark on a crusade that proves that small acts can create a massive impact.

Let's pick it up and clean it out!

How to Get Involved in a Litter Pick

Getting involved in litter picking is a fantastic way to contribute to your community and help keep the environment clean. Here are some steps you can take to get started:

Research Local Initiatives: Look for existing litter picking groups or community initiatives in your area. Check with local environmental organisations or the GOV website for information about organised clean-up events.

Join Existing Groups: Joining an established litter picking group is a great way to get started. They often have scheduled clean-up events, provide necessary equipment, and offer guidance on safe and effective litter picking practices.

Form Your Own Group: If there isn't a litter picking group in your area, consider starting one! Reach out to friends, neighbors, or colleagues who might be interested in joining you. Social media platforms can be a great way to connect with like-minded individuals.

Obtain Necessary Equipment: You'll need some basic equipment for litter picking, such as litter pickers, gloves, and garbage bags. Many local authorities may provide these supplies, especially for organized events.

Choose Safe Locations: When starting, focus on safe and accessible areas, such as parks, streets, or local nature spots. Be mindful of traffic and potential hazards.

Check Regulations: Familiarise yourself with local laws and regulations related to litter picking, especially if you're planning to pick up litter in public spaces.

Inform Local Authorities: For organised clean-up events, it's a good idea to inform local authorities about your plans. They might offer support, ensure proper waste disposal, and even promote your efforts.

Promote Your Efforts: Use social media, local newspapers, or community bulletin boards to spread the word about your litter picking activities. This can encourage more people to get involved and raise awareness about the importance of keeping the environment clean.

Lead by Example: Be a role model for responsible waste disposal. Dispose of your own trash properly and encourage others to do the same.

Practice Safety: Prioritise safety during litter picking. Wear appropriate clothing, protective gear, and be cautious when handling sharp or hazardous items.

Remember, even if you can only spare a few minutes to pick up litter while walking in your neighborhood, every small action makes a difference.

Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester

Rochdale Area

Rochdale Plastic Patrol

Keep Whitworth Tidy

Rochdale Environmental Action Group (REAG)

Salford Area

All Salford Litter Heroes

Claremont and Weaste Litter Heroes

East Salford Litter Heroes

Eccles Litter Heroes

Eccles and Winton Litter Heroes

Irlam and Cadishead Litter Heroes

Keeping Salford Smart - Irwell Riverside Litter Pickers

Little Hulton & Walkden Litter Heroes

Salford City on Point

Salford Clean Up

Salford Quays and Ordsall Litter Heroes

Swinton & Pendlebury Litter Heroes

Worsley & Boothstown Litter Heroes

Stockport Area

Keep Stockport Tidy

Hollywood Park, Stockport Community Litter Picks

Reddish Vale Country Park Litter Pickers

Tameside

Keep Tameside Tidy

Mossley Litter Bugs

Mossley Clean Up

Friends Of Groups around Greater Manchester

Manchester Area

FoR9 (Canal & River Trust)

Friends of Alderman Roger's Park

Friends of Ancoats Green

Friends of Angel Meadow

FRIENDS OF BAGULEY PARK

Friends of Bailey's Wood

The Friends of Blackley Forest

Friends of Brookfield Gardens

Friends of Chesterton Road Playground

Friends Of Cringle Park And Fields. (every first Sunday of the month meeting at the stone circle at 10am)

Friends of Crumpsall Park

Friends of Culmere Park

Friends Of Delamere Park

The Friends of Debdale Park

Friends of Gorse Covert

Friends of Haveley Circle Park

Friends of Hollyhedge Park

Friends of Homewood Road

Friends of Hulme Park

Friends of Kirkup Gardens

Friends of Newall Green Nature Area and Milky Button Park

Friends Of Park Wood

FRIENDS OF PEEL HALL MOATWATCH AND PARK

Friends of Plant Hill Park

Friends of Riverside Park

Friends of Royal Oak resident litter pickers

Friends of Southwick Road Park

Friends of Sparkford Park

Friends of Tayfield Park

Friends of Wythenshawe Lanes Litter Pickers

Moston Brook Friends Group

Trafford Area

Friends of Seymour Park

Friends of Stretford Meadows

Friends of Turn Moss

Bolton Area

Bury Area

Friends of Burrs Country Park

Friends of Hoyles Park

Oldham Area

Rochdale Area

Friends of Alkrington Woods group

Friends of Jubilee Park

Friends of Queens Park

Friends of Hopwood Park

Friends of Littleborough Stations

Salford Area

Stockport Area

Tameside Area

Friends of Portland Basin

Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester. Litter Picking Equipment is displayed and includes a hi viz vest, a pair of orange gloves, a litter picker with an orange handle, a yellow litter picking hoop and a bin bag. Busy Bins

Litter Picking Equipment List

To litter pick, you don't just need a kind heart and a desire to help clean up the your local environment, even though this is crucial. There are a few items that you would need to collect before embarking on your picking journey.

Gloves

High Viz Vest

Litter Picker

Hoop

Bags

Sharps Container

Signage

National Action Groups that Support Litter Picking Activities in the UK

There are companies in the UK that act as a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting clean and litter-free environments through education, campaigns, and community initiatives. These sites are an ideal place to meet like-minded people, who are willing to help with your litter picking escapades and can point you in the right direction to get your litter picking campaigns and activities up and running.

You can find some of these organisations below:

Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester. An image of a park setting with trees in the background. At the front is a pile of fly-tipped waste which includes, bin bags, boxes, bottles and also rats and flies. Next to the fly-tipped waste is a member of the public in a yellow dress with an angry expression on her face and hovering above her head is a flashing red light to denote anger and bringing attention to the fly-tipped waste. Busy Bins

How to Report Fly-Tipping in Greater Manchester

Fly-Tipping not only damages the environment, it costs the taxpayers money to collect and dispose of the waste. Some may think that fly-tipping doesn't pose that great of a risk to our communities, but, the illegal dumping of waste contaminates soil, water, and air, leading to environmental issues and destruction of surrounding habitats.

If you ever see anyone illegally dumping their rubbish near you or your property, always make sure to report it. You can find all your local Council site reporting links below:

Bolton Council: www.bolton.gov.uk/report-street-problem/flytipping

Bury Council: www.bury.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/street-care-and-cleaning/fly-tipping

Manchester Council: www.manchester.gov.uk/xfp/form/2107

Oldham Council: www.oldham.gov.uk/flytipping

Rochdale Council: www.rochdale.gov.uk/crime-antisocial/fly-tipping

Salford Council: www.salford.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/report-fly-tipping-graffiti-litter-and-dog-fouling/

Stockport Council: www.stockport.gov.uk/start/report-a-fly-tipping-issue

Tameside Council: www.tameside.gov.uk/flytipping

Trafford Council: www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/transport-and-streets/street-care-and-cleaning/fly-tipping.aspx

Wigan Council: www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Environmental-Problems/Rubbish-and-Litter/Fly-tipping.aspx

Canal & River Trust: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us/ways-to-contact-us

Metrolink: www.tfgm.com/public-transport/tram/contact

National Rail: www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/contact-us/

Highways Agency: www.report.nationalhighways.co.uk/report/

Litter Picking in Greater Manchester. Facts and Statistics. An image of six bin bags randomly displayed on a white background. Each bin bag includes a symbol or weight measurement like Tonnes, KGS, £ symbol, % symbol etc. Busy Bins

Facts & Statistics on Litter

Litter Statistics in the UK:

The annual cost of cleaning up litter in the UK was estimated to be over £1 billion (source: Keep Britain Tidy).
In 2022, over 400,000 bags of litter were collected during the Great British Spring Clean (source: Keep Britain Tidy).
Cigarette butts are one of the most common types of litter, with millions discarded annually (source: Hubbub).
Plastic litter is a significant problem, with around 8.3 billion plastic bottles being discarded in the UK each year (source: The Guardian).

Fly-Tipping Statistics in the UK:

In 2020-2021, there were over 1 million incidents of fly-tipping reported in England (source: GOV.UK).
The cost of clearing fly-tipped waste in England reached approximately £58 million in 2019-2020 (source: GOV.UK).
Households and domestic waste constituted a significant portion of fly-tipped material, accounting for about two-thirds of incidents (source: GOV.UK).
Fly-tipping incidents were more common in urban areas, with London having the highest incidence rate (source: GOV.UK).

FAQ's

Do you need permission to litter pick?

This all depends on what area you are litter picking in. If it is a public area, this should be perfectly fine, but we would always recommend reaching out to the local council of that public area, this can be via email or phone, as they may be able to point you in the right direction for any additional material, or they may even be able to recommend other spots that could do with some litter picking action. They could also help promote your litter picking.

For any private area, always make sure to check with the owner of that private property, as they may not want you on their land.

What do you do with the litter you have collected and bagged?

Once you have become a litter picking hero, it is time to get rid of it correctly! Depending on what types of waste you have collected, you have a few options. If General Waste - you can try taking your bags to your local Municipal Waste Bins. If more recyclable material, like Bottles, Cans etc, dispose of these in any local Recycling Bins, Composting if it is organic waste, or, if it is hazardous material, look for a special waste collection point.

Are biodegradable items like apple cores & banana skins considered to be litter?

Good question! This all depends on where these items have been left. If they have been left in a place where they can naturally decompose without causing harm to the surroundings, such as, Forests or areas with a lot of open grass and soil. If you find these items on the pavement by the side of the road, or in the middle of a busy city centre, then you would need to pick this up.

How much is the penalty fine for dropping litter?

The penalty fine for dropping litter in the UK can vary depending on the specific area. In England, the default on-the-spot fine for littering is £150. However, this amount can be reduced to £90 if paid within a specified time frame, which is usually 14 days from when the fine was issued.

What do you do with needles if you find them?

If you ever find a needle whilst litter picking, it is essential that you do the following: DO NOT TOUCH the needle, Alert anyone else you are with, notify your local authority if there is quite a lot found and ALWAYS make sure to wear Personal Protective Equipment when handling!

We've reached the end of our litter-picking adventures. It's been a wild ride, from chasing runaway Coke cans to outsmarting banana peels.

We've proven that fighting litter can be a trashy affair, but someone's got to do it!

So, let's keep our neighbourhoods clean, one piece of rubbish at a time. Remember, the next time you see a sneaky gum wrapper plotting its escape, channel your inner superhero and show it who's boss!

Stay tuned for more quirky blog adventures. Until then, keep calm and pick up litter!

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Discover Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester: Join the Cleanup Movement

Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester

How to Get Involved in a Litter Pick

Litter Picking Groups in Greater Manchester

Manchester Area

Trafford Area

Bolton Area

Bury Area