Soiled underwear, gas canisters and even a fly-tipped bed frame were among more than 1,700 items of rubbish collected in just one hour during a community litter pick in Minchinhampton.
Around twenty volunteers – including Cllr Gill Thomas and members of Minchinhampton Rugby Club – joined forces in a ‘scrum’ to tackle the shocking scale of waste blighting the commons and verges.
Finds ranged from the everyday – takeaway packaging, drinks cans, and vapes – to the disturbing, including soiled underwear, used sanitary items, and fly-tipped household waste.
The event was a proper community ruck, showing what can be achieved when people pull together. Organisers hope it will have a knock-on effect, inspiring others to take pride in and protect their local environment.
Breakdown of items collected
- 1 pregnancy test
- 1 empty condom packet
- 1 L plate
- 1 laughing gas canister
- 1 fly-tipped bed frame
- 1 strip of vinyl flooring
- 1 broken broom
- 1 tape measure
- 1 used tampon
- 3 dog toys
- 3 soiled cot sheets
- 4 pieces of polystyrene
- 5 butane gas canisters
- 6 golf balls
- 9 vapes
- 12 cigarette packets
- 18 items of clothing (including dirty sheet and soiled underwear)
- 22 items of McDonald’s packaging
- 22 glass bottles
- 32 hard plastics (bottles and food packaging)
- 35 takeaway cups/lids/straws/cutlery
- 38 car parts
- 58 bags of dog poo
- 84 cans
- 299 card/paper/tissues
- 1,043 soft plastics
