Keep it clean in Teignbridge

Teignbridge’s army of waste teams are getting out and about to help ensure beaches, parks and beauty spots are free from summer rubbish – but they are urging residents and visitors to help them out.

The council is providing its busy resorts with extra litter and wheelie bins and is also arranging for extra street cleans to get underway but hopes locals, holidaymakers and businesses to help ‘keep it clean’ by disposing of rubbish safely or taking it home with them.

Waste and cleansing teams are working hard to make sure all the additional litter from people using public spaces is dealt with quickly but the July heat wave has meant that, in some places, bins are filling up fast.

Cllr Kevin Lake, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive Spokesperson for Environmental Services, said: “It’s fantastic to see everyone is enjoying the fine weather but it has led to an increase in rubbish in key tourist spots. We’ve redeployed resources so we can take extra bins to our resorts, put on extra collections and strengthen our rubbish and litter collections system for any local events such as carnivals and community events.

“Teignbridge residents are really good at keeping the district clean and we would call on everyone to do their bit by taking rubbish home with them, using the bins provided or, where they are filling up, to get in touch and tell us so we can empty them or provide more if needed.”

Cllr George Gribble, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive Spokesperson for Leisure, Recreation and Communities, said: “The fabulous weather has meant we are experiencing an increase in visitors and day-trippers – something we always welcome – but this in turn results in large amounts of litter in bins. Now the schools have broken up for their holidays we are expecting it to get even busier and we are tackling this through putting our resources where they are needed most.

“We’re committed to caring for the environment and making sure bins and street sweeps are in the right places this summer. All our residents are part of ‘Team Teignbridge’, helping to make it a nice place to live and visit, particularly when so many of our jobs rely on the tourism trade.

“If people could support us in our drive to ‘keep it clean’ we’d be really grateful.”

To report any overflowing bins, litter or overflowing dog waste bins call Teignbridge’s Environmental Hotline on 0800 328 6402 or email: ts@teignbridge.gov.uk