THE BIG CLEAN-UP STARTS ON FRIDAY!

As Mail rallies nation to take up arms in the war on litter, here’s all you need to know to play your part

LITTER-PICKERS across the land were yesterday urged to mobilise this Friday to tackle the huge surge in Covid rubbish since lockdown measures were eased.

It came as the Environment Secretary urged the public to pull together to defeat the menace.

George Eustice said the increase in socialising outside had left the nation’s parks and beaches inundated with rubbish. He called on the ‘great determination’ of communities to help clean up Britain as he threw his weight behind the Daily

Mail’s Great British September Clean campaign, in conjunction with Keep Britain Tidy, which starts next Friday.

The sight of fast food wrappers, empty bottles and face masks strewn across landscapes has become a familiar one since Britons flocked to beauty spots post-lockdown.

The Mail is asking the public to help stamp out this surge in Covid litter by taking part in our September Clean. Between next Friday and September 27, we are encouraging everyone to get together and help pick up rubbish.

Mr Eustice said: ‘Having grown up on a farm, I know the harm that this littering can cause to animals and wildlife – but I also know there is great determination within local communities to stamp it out.

‘We have all wanted to spend more time outside in recent months, but we must now all come together to protect our environment.’

Mr Eustice added that he was concerned by the amount of single-use face masks littering the streets.

He said: ‘Face coverings and PPE are playing a vital role in preventing the spread of the virus. It is incumbent on us all to make sure these are binned properly, and it is concerning to see an anti- social minority forget this or wilfully ignore their impact on their community.

‘Councils now have the power to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £150 for littering, but we all need to play our part in looking after our environment and keeping our streets and green spaces free from this unnecessary blight.’

Keep Britain Tidy also voiced its concern over the nation’s littering habits since lockdown.

Deputy chief executive Richard McIlwain called on Mail readers to get involved in the clean-up, adding: ‘We need people to understand the impact their littering behaviour has, on people and on our environment, as well as the massive costs involved in cleaning up after them.

‘It is so important that people do their bit and pledge to pick for the Great British September Clean, not only to help rid our country of the litter that blights it but also to send a clear message to the minority

‘Thoughtless behaviour’

that leave their rubbish behind that their behaviour is thoughtless, selfish and unacceptable.’

Environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage said coronavirus had caused a new wave of pollution, with an ‘explosion’ of plastics and masks on beaches and in rivers.

It said many businesses had been relying on single-use plastics to deal with the pandemic. Strict hygiene regulations during the pandemic have also led to a spike in ‘Covid litter’.

Britons are using wet wipes, face masks and bottles of antibacterial gel to keep themselves protected from the virus. But the single-use materials are being left strewn on beaches and in parks and waterways.

Surfers Against Sewage spokesman Jack Middleton said: ‘Since lockdown has started to be lifted we’ve witnessed a new wave of plastic pollution littering our beaches. We’re used to seeing plastic bottles and bags when we’re surfing but this new type of plastic pollution is something that no-one could have foreseen.’

The Government says it is committed to reducing single-use plastics, and is looking at whether PPE can be reused safely. The Great British September Clean is encouraging everyone to hit the streets, parks and beaches in the fight against litter.

The Mail has mounted many successful environmental campaigns.

This newspaper’s Turn the Tide on Plastic, Be a Tree Angel, and Curb the Cups movements have helped bring real change to Britain’s landscapes by winning the war on waste. We also successfully pressed for the plastic bag levy that has slashed the number going to landfill by billions.