Almost 100 people took part in a spring clean in Torfaen.
Plastic bottles, crisp packets, vapes, a broken E-Scooter, and a car head rest were just some of the items of discarded rubbish collected and removed as part of the annual Torfaen Spring Clean.
In total, the volunteers tackled 10 litter hotspots, amassing 57 bags of general rubbish alongside an additional 25 bags of recyclable items in the process.
Oliver James, Torfaen County Borough Council’s litter and fly-tipping prevention officer, expressed his pleasure at running this event for the second year in a row.
He noted that it was refreshing to meet people who are passionate about maintaining a clean environment.
He said: "It was great to have members of the Torfaen Access Forum attend this year as well."
The clean-up activities occurred in various locations including Pontypool Park, Garn Lakes, Blaenavon town centre, and Garndiffaith Millennium Hall Car Park, amongst others.
Notably, five of the chosen locations were accessible to volunteers with mobility issues.
Councillor Mandy Owen, executive member for the environment, showed her appreciation for the spirited volunteers and highlighted the importance of their combined efforts in sprucing up Torfaen.
She said: "On behalf of the council I would like to thank everyone who got involved in this year’s Spring Clean."
Councillor Owen also extended her thanks to ongoing individual and group litter-picking efforts carried out throughout the year.
Councillor Owen reminded residents of the unsightliness, danger, and unnecessary nature of littering, pointing out that Torfaen offers more than 700 litter bins distributed across the county.
The Torfaen Spring Clean is an annual event inviting residents, businesses, schools, and other agencies to contribute to creating litter-free zones.
It forms just part of the council's broader endeavours to combat the climate and nature emergencies, and to manifest their Litter and Fly-tipping Action Plan.
The council encourages residents to contact Oliver James for more information about engaging in environmental volunteering opportunities at the council or to get advice on arranging their own litter picks.
Most notably, litter-picking equipment can be collected free from Litter Picking Hubs across Torfaen.
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