How the Council is Helping to Keep Public Spaces Clean

If you’re like us, you know the importance of keeping the environment healthy. Concern for the environment is on the rise and more and more people are starting to recognise that we all need to do our bit to ensure the planet’s well-being for future generations. This not only means reducing our impact on the environment and trying to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum, but also helping to keep public spaces clean. 

Let’s look at a few of the things communities have been doing to help ensure that this happens.

More Rubbish Bins

You’ll notice that there are more rubbish bins than ever before in the street, in parks and in other public places. It stands to reason that this encourages people to use rubbish bins; people are rarely littering on purpose and will generally put rubbish were it belongs if there is a bin nearby. Nowadays, it’s also about having the public sort their waste according to bins for glass, paper and cardboard and food waste. More bins have cigarette trays as well, which can encourage smokers to bin their butts.

Hiring Ample Cleaning Staff

Cleanliness breeds cleanliness; if people see that a park is sparkling clean, for instance, they’re less likely to litter themselves. That why it’s been important for these areas to be properly staff by cleaners and council workers. Keeping a clean public space increases the likelihood that it will remain clean. Festivals organisers, for instance, will always invest in grounds staff to take care of the litter problem, which they know is inevitable.

Prohibiting of Alcohol and Smoking

Part of the reason that alcohol is prohibited in some parks and on the streets is the litter problem. People loitering around these areas drinking are much more likely to litter than if they were doing so in the comfort of their homes or at a licensed venue. Of course, this is not the case for all parks, and often these rules won’t be enforced unless it’s taken to excessive lengths.

There are also rules against smoking in some parks and certain public places, again lessening the impact of cigarette butts in these areas. Studies show that 50% of littered items are cigarette butts, which is a staggering proportion. As time goes on, laws that encourage people to do most of their smoking at home may help to reduce this figure.

Fining Litterers

Unfortunately, it’s inevitable that people will litter and it can be difficult to spot them.

Ensuring that there are strict fines in place can act as a deterrent and reduce the amount of littering in the community. It’s also important that people are aware that there are fines, so having signs around reminding people has been important too. In one sense, littering like speeding on the roads, which can be lessened, but never fully stamped out, by putting fines in place.

These are just a few of the ways councils have been trying to tackle the littering problem to ensure public places stay clean. Community awareness is also very important in order to lessen our impact on the environment and the cost not only to the planet, but to us as well. If you’re looking for more information about waste management and bin hire in Dandenong and surrounding suburbs, speak to the team at Metro Bin Hire today.