Team Up to Clean Up - The Munster Express

Team Up to Clean Up General Stories The Munster Express

Team up to Clean Up, Together for Kilkenny is an innovative litter picking initiative run across Kilkenny at the end of September.

The central idea is to cast a wide net, inviting schools, groups and sports clubs to experience litter picking first hand on the last weekend of September, with the intention of exposing new demographics to the reality of litter in public spaces.

It is thought this will promote behaviour change in some who may never have considered where the litter goes after it has been dropped on the street or thrown out a car window.

Those who volunteer to go litter picking are the last ones who need to be exposed to the reality of keeping an area clean and liveable, by broadening litter picking beyond those usual volunteers, Team Up to Clean Up, includes more people in the environmental effort, in hope of bringing them along too, as preventing litter is far more effective than cleaning it up.

The Munster Express spoke to Bernadette Moloney, Environmental Awareness Officer with Kilkenny County Council, about the Team Up to Clean Up initiative.

“This is the last litter pick before the winter sets in and the clocks go back,” Bernadette explains. “We wouldn’t really be advising anyone to do litter piking during the winter due to safety concerns, so this is the last community event.”

Bernadette highlighted that the litter picking was confined to roads of 60km or less, to ensure the safety of all involved.

“What we really want is this to galvanise the community around littering, to raise the awareness around the kinds of litter that are out there,” she said.

“We are hopeful that be spreading litter picking to new demographics that people might stop in the future before they litter. It’s really a collaborative solution.”

Bernadette also explained this initiative is designed to target loose litter only. If groups stumble upon illegal dumping it is an opportunity to report it to the council, but not something that litter pickers should tackle themselves.

“With the return scheme, bottles might be disappearing but we still see lots of disposable cups, cigarette buts, and convenience food packaging.”

Team Up to Clean Up is now in its fourth year. Registration is open and those who register early are in with a chance of winning €250.

In a statement celebrating the initiative, Kilkenny County Council said: “Kilkenny County Council is delighted to announce the launch of the fourth annual Team Up to Clean Up – Together for Kilkenny campaign, inviting communities, schools, businesses, sports clubs and voluntary organisations across the county to once again come together in a shared commitment to enhance the local environment by completing a litter pick in their neighbourhood over the 25th-27th of September”.

Since its launch in 2023, Team Up to Clean Up has grown into one of County Kilkenny’s most successful community litter initiatives, inspiring thousands of citizens to foster a culture of environmental responsibility, civic pride and community stewardship.

Led by Kilkenny County Council and supported by valued sponsors Dawn Meats, Tirlán, PRL and the John O’Shea Trust, the initiative encourages people to view themselves not simply as residents, but as custodians of the places where they live, work and enjoy.

Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Cllr Joe Malone said: “Team Up to Clean Up has become much more than a litter-picking weekend. It is about creating lasting behavioural change and encouraging all of us to take responsibility for our local environment. The success of the initiative over the past three years demonstrates the power of communities working together to make a real difference”.

Bernadette Moloney, Environmental Awareness Officer who is co-ordinating the campaign this year would like to remind groups of the early bird registration offer: all groups who sign up before the 7th September will be entered into a draw for €250. Early registration helps in ensuring litter picking packs are distributed in time.

This year, to ensure sustainability, previous participants can seek a top up of litter picking materials rather than receiving a new litter picking pack. Each pack accommodates 8 volunteers.

Education remains a core element of the initiative. This year the campaign joins forces with The Rubbish Film Festival to empower secondary school students to create impactful short films that spotlight environmental challenges and drive meaningful change.

Registration for Team Up to Clean Up 2026 is now open, and Kilkenny County Council is encouraging all community groups, schools, businesses, sporting organisations and residents’ associations to sign up and play their part by registering via https://cleanup.kilkenny.ie/.

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