Each year, Keep Britain Tidy - part of the British Cleaning Council, organises the Great British Spring Clean. During this year's clean-up, which ran from 17th March – 2nd April 2026,  a phenomenal 451,882 bags of litter were collected by around 585,000 volunteers. I left the ‘2026’ in there, just in case anyone wondered – as I did initially – whether the event had stretched for more than a year. After all, to be able to collect almost half a million bags of litter in just over a month, is something of a disgrace, and while I’m not denigrating the efforts of the brave folk who became involved, I feel the need to point out that while the scheme’s deemed a huge success, the fact that it is such a success is actually something of which we should be thoroughly ashamed.

 

But it goes far wider than that… This map shows the Global Cleanup Events staged to support Earth Day, which was yesterday. Humankind has a lot to answer for, don’t you think? We need to make some big changes, fast. But I’d like to say ‘thank you’, anyway, to all those who took part and made such a positive difference.

It pleases me that the British event included the Great Big School Clean, during which children learnt about the impact litter has on our wildlife. Apparently thousands of pupils took part. Why only thousands though? In my view, education of this type should be compulsory for all children from a very young age. And it should also focus on the wider impact dropping litter has, along with our over-consumption in general, (which in turn creates more waste) – and perhaps how angry it makes people like me feel… people who are lucky enough to be able to recall growing up in a litter-free environment without the need for volunteers to make it that way!

 

To end on a more positive note, let me put something to you: Our industry is one that could cause a lot of damage to our wonderful planet if we didn’t take it as seriously as we do. Just look at the chemicals and the containers they come in or are dispensed from… the water used for cleaning and rinsing… the transport, storage, machinery, equipment and disposables involved… waste collection and recycling, too. I’m proud to say that we’ve really taken up the baton with regard to seeking out and making positive changes to the way we do things, with our eye firmly on sustainability and helping to create a circular economy. Could we do more though, I wonder? I’d love to learn your thoughts on this…