Renfrewshire Council

Big Spring Clean 2024

The Big Spring Clean

What the Big Spring Clean is, getting involved, the Big Spring Clean 2024.

Thousands of dedicated volunteers have been heading out on litter picks every April since 2018 as they support Renfrewshire's annual Big Spring Clean, part of our award winning Team Up to Clean Up campaign.

The Big Spring Clean is back for another year with litter picks set to take place from 1 March - 30 April.

Volunteers will be supported with equipment and advice for carrying out litter picks across Renfrewshire and the Council will clear the collected rubbish afterwards. 

This year's Big Spring Clean will also see a series of wildflower planting sessions take place - delivered by conversation volunteers. Three community workshops will take place in April, hosted by Evergreen Elderslie, the West End Growing Grounds Association and Renfrew Growing Grounds. Dates will be confirmed on this page nearer the time.

Local businesses who want to support and participate in the Big Spring Clean can take part in a series of planned litter pick events. Here is a list of our planned events if you want to get involved:

•    The Underpass (Pizza Hut Car Park), Linwood at 10am on Tuesday 5 March
•    Starbucks Car Park, Johnstone at 10am on Tuesday 12 March
•    M&S Car Park, Paisley at 10am on Tuesday 19 March
•    Charles Avenue Car Park, Renfrew at 10am on Tuesday 26 March.

The Big Spring Clean has been such a successful event in the past, last year around 3,500 litter picks took place with more than 5,300 volunteers participating. 

Let's make this the Biggest Spring Clean yet!


Get involved

If you want to arrange a litter pick in your area, let us know about it and we'll provide you with all the equipment and advice you'll need. Afterwards, our StreetScene team will come and take away any rubbish you've collected.

To request equipment, call 0300 300 1375 or email Team Up to Clean Up.

You can also join thousands of volunteers in our group via Team Up to Clean Up on Facebook


The Big Spring Clean 2023

Across the month of action, more than 670 people took part in litter picks, removing more than 2,200 bags of litter from our environment.

Community groups, schools and local people all took part in litter picks across Renfrewshire's towns and villages, with the Council supporting them with the provision of equipment, health and safety advice and removal of the collected litter.

Council officers visited 20 schools to speak to them about the importance of looking after our environment, and the kids were excited to take part.

Willow, P5, said: "It's important to pick up litter because I love animals and they might get trapped or eat the litter which would be very harmful to them", while Evie, P5, said: "My family work hard to keep our house clean so we should also work hard to keep our local area clean and free from litter. Litter can be very harmful to pets and I worry that our family dog will get hurt."

First year Katie said: "We want our school and community to be clean and safe. Therefore, it is important that we take responsibility. Even small actions, like a short litter pick, can have a big impact."

The Take the Lead campaign was launched to promote responsible dog ownership and a mass dog walk in Barshaw Park saw more than 40 dogs and 80 owners take part and pledge to be responsible dog owners - and in return they received a new branded lead, dog poo bag dispenser and light for evening walks.

A lunchtime litter pilot was also launched which saw additional branded bins placed on a hotspot route near Johnstone High to encourage pupils to use the bins rather than throw litter away. The bins will stay for a period of time before being moved to another hotspot route at another secondary school in Renfrewshire to promote positive behaviour change.

Many volunteers head out on their own almost every day so don't feel that you have to join an organised litter pick. If you want to just get out there, and feel more comfortable on your own, then please go for it!

Get in touch for more information and for equipment by emailing Team Up to Clean Up or joining the Facebook group.

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