Litter ranges from candy wrappers and beverage containers to cigarette butts and unwanted appliances. It accumulates on our streets, parks, streams, ravines, and the countryside. Weather plays a big role. When it is windy, waste placed at the curbside for collection can get blown throughout the neighbourhood.
Sometimes litter is dumped intentionally. If you witness someone dumping garbage on city property, contact the City's Roads, Parks and Forestry Department at 905-333-6166.
Community Clean-up Events
Annual Earth Day Celebration: Clean-Up Week and Green-Up Day
The Annual Earth Day Celebration - Community Clean-up Week and Green-up Day events are organized by Burlington Green. Groups and individuals are to contact BurlingtonGreen to organize or take part in clean-ups across the community during the week of Earth Day.
As part of the Earth Day celebrations, a tree planting event is also organized (usually in May). Since 2019, a follow-up Tree Loving Care event also takes place in the Fall.
For more information on any of these events, please visit the BurlingtonGreen website.
Neighbourhood Clean-Up Events (outside of Earth Day events)
Outside of Earth Day clean-up events, the City also supports other clean-ups events by residents or community groups. To organize these events, groups are to contact festivalandevents@burlington.ca.
To help Special Events to better guide you on your clean-up event, here are some tips:
- Select a date and time
- Select an area you wish to clean-up, i.e., a city park or ravine
- Special Events will provide you with all necessary information to guide you through a successful clean-up event
Additional tips for organizing a successful neighbourhood clean-up
- Visit the area ahead of time to identify possible hazards - do not put participants in unsafe situations
- Ensure you have enough adult supervision
- Determine if you need any equipment (e.g., safety vests, rakes, shovels).
- Have a first aid kit available
- Work in small groups, and keep social distancing
- Each person should have at least one glove on
- Remind children to ask an adult if an item is safe to pick-up if they are unsure
- Bring water and snacks - keep hydrated
- Have sunscreen and insect repellent available
- Have fun!
Schools
- Raise awareness about litter and the environment - organize a litter poster contest. Ask a local business to sponsor a prize
- Reduce waste - challenge classrooms to bring litterless lunches
- Organize clean-up events in the school yard
- Appoint litter ambassadors and provide incentives to students to encourage them not to litter