Te Puke community unites to clear almost 100kg of litter on World Clean-up Day

Rina Clarke, Meretupou Skudder and Huia Haunui from Poutiri Trust at the Te Puke Spring Clean.

Close to 100kg of rubbish was removed from the streets of Te Puke on World Clean-up Day, last week.

Despite the threatening weather, the rain held off and the streets were buzzing with volunteers eager to make a difference.

Organisations teamed up to lead the charge, and it turned into more than just a clean-up.

After rolling up their sleeves and filling bags with litter, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved break with some delicious pizza, generously made by The Daily Café.

“We had some amazing support from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, who were there educating everyone on what can and can’t go into those recycling bins,” Epic Te Puke marketing manager Rebecca Larsen said.

Jackson, Malachi and Harry at the Te Puke town clean up

“Another highlight of the day was Predator Free BOP setting up a table with free rat traps for those looking to help tackle the pest problem.

“And to top it all off, EnviroWaste joined us, too, sharing all the details on the fantastic initiatives they run and the wide range of things they can accept for recycling.

“The public response was truly heartwarming. Seeing so many locals come out to lend a hand really showed the strength of our community spirit. Plus, there was noticeably less rubbish this year, thanks in part to the recent clean-up behind the hall organised by the Te Puke Community Board,” Larsen said.

By the numbers:

Glass bottles - 23.5kg

Alloy cans - 6kg

Plastics numbers 1,2 and 5 - 4kg

Card - 7kg

Landfill waste - 54kg

Total - 94.5kg