Clean up Australia Day activities to sweep across Hedland on March 6 and 13

The Care of Hedland Environmental Association will host another annual Clean up Australia Day on Sunday March 6 and March 13 after estimations a total of 3.4 billion disposable face masks were thrown out every day during 2020. Clean up Australia chair Pip Kiernan said counting face masks would be a big part of this year’s clean up efforts. “We’re keen to understand the extent of mask litter as an environmental issue so we need you to join our Citizen Science project on Clean Up Australia Day and count the number of masks we can remove from our environment,” she said. “For more than 30 years now we’ve been cleaning up Australia. But Australians are creating more waste than ever, so we need more help. “We know Australians everywhere are itching to get involved and now is their chance to officially register interest for this year’s Clean Up Australia Day.” Hedland clean up crews will head to Pretty Pool and Cemetery Beach on the March 6 and to Scadden Road the following weekend. After the first clean up weekend, volunteers will be thanked with a barbecue at Cemetery Beach. According to association coordinator Lizzy Capp, schools and businesses around Hedland will also be joining the effort. Last year all the schools in the Hedland area participated and helped clean up a chunk of the 319.34kg of total waste. During the events the association will also be collecting recyclable 10 cent containers through the Containers for Change scheme.