Help fight plastic pollution with Litter Free Dorset's June Challenge

The month long initiative will improve fitness as well as help save wildlife

Author: Sophie CridlandPublished 5th May 2021

Litter Free Dorset's latest challenge is helping save the environment while improving mental wellbeing and fitness.

A month-long litter picking effort across the county starting on June 1st will see Litter Pickers take part in four different challenges to clean up Dorset.

By taking part you will not only be helping save wildlife from the impacts of plastic pollution but also have the chance to provide information about the amounts and/or types of litter collected to help inform solutions to tackle plastic pollution long term.

This initiative is supported by Queen Mary University of London and co-financed by the Interreg France (Channel Manche) England programme through the Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP) project.

From Saturday 1st May through to Monday 17th May, residents in Dorset can sign up to take part in the Litter Free Dorset Challenge.

Not only will people be able to sign up to a challenge of their choosing and be provided with a litter picker, T-shirt and weighing scales, they will also be able to contribute their litter picking data to Prevent Plastic Pollution's citizen science project.

By taking part individuals will benefit local wildlife by reducing the impacts of plastic pollution as well as have the opportunity to provide data about amount and/or types of litter collected to help inform solutions to tackle plastic pollution long term.

Dr Iwan Jones, PPP project leader at Queen Mary University of London said:

"Joining in the challenge can help to clear up your local environment, but providing us with your data can help us to develop solutions to the problem of plastic pollution, which can then be utilised across the channel region as well as further afield."

Sophie Colley, Coordinator for Litter Free Dorset added:

"Litter picking is proven to increase your fitness and wellbeing. This is due to being outdoors, exploring new places and meeting new people along the way!"

LFD understand that some have more time than others, they've created four different challenge to choose from:

  • The 10-hour challenge - Litter pick for 10 hours in 1 whole day
  • The 10 times challenge - Take part in 10 litter picks throughout the month
  • The 10 minutes daily challenge - Everyday litter pick for 10 minutes throughout the month
  • The 'create your own' challenge - Is there a particular challenge you have in mind?
  • For more information on the challenge and how to sign up, click here.

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