Help get Kerry spick and span on County Clean Up Day

THE Kerry County Clean Up effort has been a huge success over the past three years and volunteers will be back in action again on this year’s County Clean Up Day, which will be held on Saturday April 8.

Last year almost 70 tonnes (7,000 bags!) of litter was collected from roads, beaches and public places in one day and up to 3,500 participants gave their time voluntarily to clean up the county. This year we are asking for the same commitment, and if possible to exceed the numbers of volunteers who took part last year.

This countywide event is facilitated by KWD Recycling, Kerry County Council, Tralee Chamber Alliance and Killarney Chamber of Commerce. However, without the support of Tidy Towns groups, community groups, school communities and interested individuals this event would not be successful and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your efforts.

KWD Recycling has again agreed to provide bags and will also arrange collection at an agreed location. Please contact Deirdre O’Gorman at info@countycleanup.com to order your bags (which will be delivered to your area by KWD), and agree the pick up point. All bags will be collected on the week following April 8 by KWD trucks.

The cost of cleaning litter in Kerry, including streets, beaches, and other public spaces came in at over €2.5 million last year. All of this is taxpayers’ money which was spent cleaning up after the louts who left their litter as a parting gift. At this stage there is nobody who either lives or visits Kerry who does not know that littering is illegal, anti-community, anti-environment and utterly selfish. Now add in the financial cost and you get a fine mess.

April is National Spring Clean Month and the County Clean Up Day is a great start. This is a once off event each year and a great opportunity to get our litter under control at the beginning of what will hopefully be a busy tourist season. It’s a day local community groups and towns can unite in the campaign to make Kerry the ‘Cleanest County in Ireland’. We are encouraging volunteers from all walks of life to get together and clean up the county. There is no clean up too small – it will all add up, even if it’s just the roadside outside your home. It will also send a clear message to the careless minority that we do not tolerate litter.

Organise the day with your local residents’ association, school, youth group, sporting groups, businesses, family or simply a few friends and help to make Kerry the cleanest county in Ireland. The clean up is planned for all public spaces throughout the county.