Litter
Anyone throwing down, knowingly dropping or otherwise depositing in, into or from any public place in the open air (including any public place open to air on at least one side), and leaving anything so as to cause, contribute to or tend to lead to defacement by litter of any such place could be guilty of an offence.
Note: It is illegal to deposit household or business refuse in bins or any other receptacle provided in a public place by the departments of Environment & Infrastructure or Traffic & Highway Services.
This is commonsense, really and, thankfully, the majority of the public are aware of the problem of litter. Regrettably, there are those whose attitude leaves much to be desired.
We are privileged to live in a truly beautiful island, but many areas are already spoilt by the actions of a thoughtless few. Nobody wants to live with streets, lanes, beaches and coastal paths being inundated with unsightly (and often unhygienic) litter and, clearing of such debris costs us all many thousands of pounds each year.
Wombler Scheme
Volunteers, also known as Womblers, who help to keep the Island and its beaches clean are performing a valuable service and the States of Guernsey wants to support and encourage them. Because of this it is agreed that Womblers should not have to pay to dispose of litter that they have not personally generated.
What is a Wombler?
A Wombler is a person who collects litter from the Island’s public spaces, including beaches. There is no need for an individual to become a registered Wombler if the litter they collect can be disposed of using the publicly provided litter bins, or if the litter has been collected as part of a group organised beach clean. If you are arranging a large scale organised/publicised beach clean you should contact Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (ACLMS) (aclms@gov.gg or 224567) to arrange disposal.
How does the registered wombler scheme work?
Any person who satisfies the criteria of a Wombler as above can register by completing a ‘Wombler Registration Form’. Once registered, Womblers will be provided with a supply of bags with stickers containing a ID number unique to them.
What will the ID number be used for?
The unique ID number will be used to ensure that the litter has been collected by a registered Wombler and will be used to prevent abuse of the system. The responsibility of the bag is that of the registered Wombler until it is collected and any issues relating to the bag or its contents will be directed by either Guernsey Waste or ACLMS to the individual via the contact details provided. Guernsey Waste or ACLMS may also contact you from time to time about the scheme or the areas you Womble in.
What rubbish can I put in the bag?
These bags should be used for the collection of non-recyclable rubbish from public areas only that has not been generated by the individual i.e. litter. It would be appreciated where possible, if any litter which can be recycled, be dealt with through the householders’ kerbside recycling or the bring banks. The bags will be transparent, so that the content may be seen by the collection team and any items that should not go through the normal processing at the Waste Transfer Station can be removed and dealt with accordingly. Items such as crab pots, ropes and nets can cause damage to the processing machinery at the Waste Transfer Station and therefore should not be placed in bags. These should instead be placed next to the coastal bins and be notified to ACLMS for separate collection (aclms@gov.gg or 234567). Loose heavy or large items can be left near slipways if ACLMS are notified so that they can be collected. Bags of ‘Wombled’ litter left by coastal bins do not need to be notified to ACLMS.
How do I dispose of the bags?
Once the bag is full, they should be securely tied and left next to one of the green coastal litter bins placed at nearly every beach to be collected when the bins are emptied. Please bear in mind that during winter months the coastal bins are not emptied every day and if it is windy your bag of litter could be blown away before it can be picked up, therefore please make every effort to secure the bag. Bags should not be placed by any other litter bins around the Island.
How do I request more bags?
More bags can be requested by contacting us at recycle@gov.gg or 231234 please notify us how you wish to receive these bags either by collecting them from States Works, La Hure Mare Vale, GY3 5UD or at Raymond Falla House, Longue Rue, St Martins GY4 6HG. Alternatively if you are unable to collect we can post them to you. Please allow us 10 working days to get these ready for you to collect or be posted – please contact us before you run out! We will notify you when they are ready to be collected or when they have been posted.
LET US ALL TAKE PRIDE IN OUR PARISH & ISLAND!
