Litter Clean Up Safety Guidelines

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The City of Edmonton’s Capital City Clean Up believes that keeping our city clean is a shared responsibility. Please review these safety guidelines before participating in any litter pick up activity.

Preparing for Your Litter Pick Up

Wear gloves appropriate to the task at all times, such as leather gloves for sticks/brush; large nitrile gloves are provided in the kits
Check weather conditions for inclement weather/smoke
Dress for the weather conditions and keep in mind that PPE needs to be worn with your clothing
Wear sturdy footwear appropriate to the task, for your safety, open toe shoes are not permitted
Wear a hat, sunscreen, insect repellant and sunglasses as required
Ensure to stay hydrated
Have a plan for emergencies that could arise and ensure that you have a means of communication to ensure someone knows where you are, such as a charged cell phone, or by working
with a partner
Familiarize yourself on sorting pick up items into the types of items that go into each bag, for example, black for garbage, blue bag for recycling

people picking up litter

During Your Litter Pick Up

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Visually inspect the location where you will be picking up your litter and be aware of your hazards, for example, moving vehicles, tripping hazards, sharp objects
Do not walk on roads, steep hills, embankments, heavily treed areas, or uneven ground
Do not wade into the water bodies to retrieve items
Observe people and animals present in the area
Only pick up litter during daylight hours
Do not trespass on private property
Do not compress garbage or reach into containers with hands or feet
Ensure that proper lifting techniques are used
Do not pick up heavy or oversized items

If you come across the following items, do not touch and report to 311:

Sharp items, including needles and broken glass
Syringes or other drug paraphernalia
Hazardous waste, for example, oil, chemicals
Suspicious items, for example, backpacks, sealed boxes
Heavy and oversized items, for example, furniture
Encampments

Call 911:

If you are experiencing a medical emergency
If you become seriously injured
If you find yourself in a dangerous situation

Call 811:

If you are feeling faint or dizzy
If you are experiencing symptoms of illness
If you have sustained a minor injury like a cut, or muscle sprain

Live Chat Online, Text (INFO) OR Call 211:

If you or someone you encounter are experiencing challenges as a result of poverty, violence, and/or mental illness and require social support assistance

After Your Litter Pick Up

Ensure the proper disposal of bags that have been used during your clean up.
Dispose of your garbage bags in one of the following ways:

Place bags in your residential garbage
Place bags in a city garbage can; please do not dispose of any bags in dumpsters
Leave large volumes of bags in an area accessible by vehicle and contact 311 with the location

Ensure cleanliness once you have completed your litter pick up.
Be sure to:

After using a litter grabber, clean it off for future use
Wash your hands thoroughly
Ensure that affected clothing is cleaned or laundered
Dispose of used PPE into black garbage bags

It is your responsibility to use your litter pick up kit safely and responsibly. If you have questions, email capitalcitycleanup@edmonton.ca for additional information.

Thank you for helping keep our city clean. Have fun!

Report Your Litter Pickup

Fill out the 2025 Litter Pick Up Reporting Form
Sign up through Capital City Clean Up Volunteer

Litter Guidelines

If you have questions, email capitalcitycleanup@edmonton.ca for additional information.

Contact Us

Capital City Clean Up

If you are calling from outside of Edmonton: 780-442-5311

Email	capitalcitycleanup@edmonton.ca
Phone	311
TTY	711