Clean Up Australia Day

Clean Up Australia Day History

Clean Up Australia Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of reducing litter and keeping our environment clean. The observance encourages Australians to actively participate in community-driven cleaning initiatives, focusing on public spaces such as parks, waterways, beaches, bushlands, and city streets. The goal is to foster a sense of collective responsibility, promote sustainable environmental practices, and preserve the unique beauty of Australia's natural landscapes.

The concept of Clean Up Australia Day originated in 1989 when an Australian solo yachtsman, Ian Kiernan, was inspired to take action after encountering polluted waters during an international sailing event. He organized the first Clean Up Sydney Harbour in 1989, which attracted over 40,000 volunteers and removed thousands of tonnes of litter from the harbour. In 1990, the event expanded nationwide, and it has since grown to involve millions of Australians, schools, businesses, and community groups each year.

Clean Up Australia Day is observed through various scheduled clean-up events organized by local councils, schools, businesses, and environmental groups. Volunteers gather to collect litter, sort recyclables, and remove waste from public spaces, while learning about the environmental impact of litter and how to maintain a cleaner environment. Clean Up Australia Day typically takes place on the first Sunday of March each year.

Top facts about Clean Up Australia Day

• For Clean Up Australia Day in 2023, more than 1 million volunteers across 17,000 sites took part. The most common type of litter cleared was soft plastic, followed by cigarette butts and single-use plastic bottles.
  Clean Up Australia Day in 2022 about 900,000 people registered across 12,000 Clean Up sites. Volunteers worked together, donating around 1.8 million hours across Australia to help clean up.
• About 80% of the trash removed each year on Clean Up Day would have been recyclable if it hadn't been left to deteriorate in the environment.
• Over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year.
• In the last 33 years, more than 21 million Australians have donated 38.5 million hours to clean up Australia.
  Since 1987, Australians have donated more than 27.2 million hours towards the environment through Clean Up Australia Day while collecting over 288,650 tonnes of rubbish.
• My life equation is E=1, where the state of our environment is the centre of all things. Awareness starts with the simple act of picking up rubbish when you see it, reducing the amount of packaging we need to get rid of and recycling wherever possible - Ian Kiernan, AO, Chairman and Founder of Clean Up Australia

In the News and Trending for Clean Up Australia Day

Top things to do for Clean Up Australia Day

• Go garbageless for the day. Try your best to reduce your trash for the day by using reusable bags and containers.
• Reuse and recycle. Much of the rubbish that ends up scattered around the environment could have been recycled and reused if its owners had shown more care.
• Spread awareness on social media using hashtags #CleanUp, #CleanUpAustralia, #Reuse&Recycle and #CleanUpDay.
• Participate in one of Clean Up Australia or Clean Up World volunteer activities. If you cannot find one in your area, organise one yourself by gathering friends and collecting rubbish.
• Watch a documentary about the negative impact of rubbish and pollution on the planet. Some of our favourites include: Garbage Island, Plastic Paradise, Plasticized and The Disastrous Story of Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans.