Street cleaning
Keeping Sydney sparkling
Every day our teams of street cleaners work hard to keep the City of Sydney's roads, lanes and footpaths clean by sweeping and hosing surfaces using as much recycled storm water as possible.
Our teams also empty garbage bins and ashtrays, collect syringes, pick up items that have been illegally dumped, and they also remove posters, stickers and graffiti.
Watch our time-lapse video
Our speedy street cleaners in action on New Year's Day cleaning up from the night before.
How you can help
You can help keep your neighbourhood clean and safe by reporting the biggest problems – illegally dumped material, bill posters, graffiti, used syringes and abandoned shopping trolleys.
Illegal dumping
Illegal dumping is a big concern for our community because it is unsightly and potentially dangerous.
Dumped rubbish attracts vermin such as rats and cockroaches.
Pedestrians and cyclists can be put in danger if their path is blocked or if they collide with heavy or sharp objects.
Illegal dumping is also a huge waste of resources on 2 levels. Firstly, many dumped items – like unwanted furniture and whitegoods – can be recycled or reused.
Secondly, illegal dumping is a financial burden on the City and ratepayers, especially considering the City offers a free weekly clean-up service to help prevent illegal dumping of whitegoods, furniture and large appliances.
You can report illegal dumping by using our online form or calling 02 9265 9333.
Bin your gum
Chewing gum dropped on the ground sticks to the footpath and streets. It doesn't degrade over time and it is very difficult and costly to remove.
As the gum builds up it makes our streets look unsightly.
Please consider others and get rid of your chewing gum thoughtfully by using street bins provided.
Trolleys and syringes
If you spot an abandoned shopping trolley report it to Trolley Tracker. Visit their website (see Links) or call 1800 641 497.
Call the Needle Clean-Up Hotline about used syringes on 1800 633 353.
Cigarette butts
Worldwide, cigarette butts are the most littered item. The City's street cleaners collect on average about 15,000 cigarette butts each day. That adds up to millions of butts on our streets each year which bring significant environmental, social and economic problems.
Rain carries litter and cigarette butts through storm water pipes directly into Sydney harbour, reducing water quality and harming marine life. Cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, sea turtles and other marine creatures.
Littered butts leach toxic chemicals like cadmium, lead and arsenic into water and soil as they decompose. They are a choking risk to young children and are also visual pollution. The presence of cigarette butt litter is magnetic – it encourages more littering.
Fines
Littering a cigarette butt attracts heavy fines, particularly if the cigarette is lit. Smokers can instead carry a portable ashtray, use wall-mounted ashtrays outside shops and offices and ashtrays on street litter bins.
Most importantly, make sure your cigarette is extinguished before you put it in an ash tray or bin.
Links
Clean Up AustraliaNSW Environment & Heritage Trolley Tracker
Last updated: Friday, 24 May 2013
