PEOPLE visited Redditch parks and open spaces are being urged to take their litter home with them after the borough council collected nearly two tonnes of rubbish from last weekend.
During the recent spell of warm weather, and with more people using parks and open spaces for recreational activities during lockdown, increased amounts of litter and overflowing waste bins have been reported.
The council collected from bins and via litter picking, 1.5 tonnes of rubbish at Arrow Valley Countryside Park, which included five illegal fly tips, plus 440kg of rubbish from Morton Stanley Park alone.
The authority’s Place and Parks Teams are working to keep on top of the situation, but residents are also being asked to help take the strain off the teams by taking their rubbish home rather than littering or fly tipping.
The council says if rubbish won’t fit in a bin, residents should find another one it will fit into or take it home with them.
If they are expecting to create a lot of waste, say by having a picnic, residents can bring a bin liner, tie the bag and leave it by the side of the bins so it is easier for council teams to collect and isn’t blown away.
Councillor Matt Dormer, Leader of the Council, said: “Not only is this litter ruining the parks for other visitors, it is disrespectful to the teams who have the never-ending task of cleaning up afterwards.
“Our teams are going above and beyond, working harder than ever, to keep these areas tidy and I would ask residents to take some responsibility for the parks too and take their rubbish home.”
In addition, if residents have items at home they wish to get rid of and don’t want to sit in long queues for the tip, they are asked to avoid giving these to potentially unlicensed carriers or a ‘white van man’ who may not be certified to take it away and may choose to dispose of it incorrectly.
The council’s bulky waste service is now back up and running and can also be used for larger items and has safety measures in place for customers and staff.
If a bin is overflowing, let the council know at www.redditchbc.gov.uk/litter.
