Litter and street cleaning
When it comes to litter, our approach focuses on prevention. On this page you can find out about what we do to tackle litter and how you can report litter problems to us:
- Litter bins
- Litter picking and street sweeping
- Fly-tipping
- Dog fouling
- Sharp and hazardous materials
- Abandoned vehicles
- Dead animals
- Litter prevention action plan
- Street cleansing policy and procedures
Litter bins
People are encouraged to take their litter home to reduce the need for having excessive numbers of litter bins which can themselves affect the aesthetic environment and contribute to the litter problem. However, we recognise that there is a need for litter bins in certain places.
Litter bins are placed on land that the council has a statutory duty to maintain. This includes streets, parks and green spaces. We empty these bins on a frequency varying from daily in high foot fall areas to weekly in rural villages.
Litter picking and street sweeping
Litter picking is a simple action that anyone can do to make an immediate and visible difference to their area.
If you are arranging a litter pick in your area, our team of Community Waste Officers can provide litter pickers, bags, and organise to have the litter collected for disposal. Contact our team at Wasteline if you would like to arrange this.
Litter can take years to break down and can harm wildlife and pets. So, thank you for helping to improve the environment and keeping your community clean.
If you are promoting your litter pick via Facebook, send a direct message to the Recycling and Waste Facebook page and we will help to promote it.
We are not responsible for litter picking and sweeping private land and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
The aim of the litter picking and sweeping programme is to sweep at a frequency when needed. It includes:
- Cleaning streets using mechanical sweepers
- Manual litter picking and sweeping in all our towns and villages, including streets, parks and open spaces, on a needs basis (from daily in large towns to 6 monthly in very rural villages)
- Weed removal
Fly-tipping
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste on land, often seen in lay-bys, country lanes, fields or woodland. Don't approach anyone or put yourself in danger if you see fly-tipping, it is more important to report the incident.
If you use a private contractor to remove household, garden or construction waste make sure that any waste produced on the property is only taken away by someone who is a registered waste carrier.
When reporting fly-tipping, try to get as much information as you can, such as vehicle details, descriptions of people involved, location and photographs (only if you can take them safely).
You can report fly-tipping incident online or by phone. Please note whether you report it online or by phone it may take us up to 5 working days to process it.
Dog fouling
It is against the law for anyone who is responsible for a dog to not clean up after the dog has fouled.
Please let us know if you are aware of any dog owners who have failed to pick up after their dog.
Sharp and hazardous materials
We are unable to remove sharp or hazardous materials from private land or from within someone’s property.
Contact our team at Wasteline if you find a broken glass, oil or chemical spill, discarded needle or syringe in a public place on the pavement, road, grassy areas, in communal stairs or landings.
Abandoned vehicles
Abandoned vehicles are not only a nuisance but also an eyesore. If you require a vehicle to be uplifted visit CarTakeBack, who will collect your vehicle at a convenient time from your home or your place of work. In many areas, collection is free of charge.
You can report abandoned vehicles by filling in online form or by phone. Please note whether you report it online or by phone it may take us up to 5 working days to process it.