UN hails the Daily Mail's Great British Spring Clean for sending a vital ...

The United Nations’ most senior environmental official yesterday praised the Great British Spring Clean.

Siim Kiisler, president of the UN Environment Assembly, said taking part in a voluntary litter clean-up sent out ‘the strongest possible message’ that dropping rubbish is unacceptable.

The campaign, organised by Keep Britain Tidy and backed by the Daily Mail, will take place between March 22 and April 23. 

With less than two weeks to go until it starts, 218,191 people have volunteered their time for organised litter pick-ups around the country. 

Siim Kiisler, president of the UN Environment Assembly, has praised the Mail's Great British Spring Clean

Siim Kiisler, president of the UN Environment Assembly, has praised the Mail's Great British Spring Clean

Mr Kiisler, speaking at the international gathering in Kenya dedicated to ridding the world of pollution, said cleaning up towns, cities, beaches and the countryside was a vital way to raise awareness about how we should all dispose of waste.

One of the aims of the Environment Assembly – being held this week in the capital Nairobi – is to get the 193 members of the UN to commit to ‘significantly’ reducing single-use plastics by 2030.

While government action was necessary to stop an estimated eight million tons of plastic rubbish being dumped in the sea every year, Mr Kiisler said it was important that citizens told companies they do not want to buy single-use plastic items.

A key way to send this message is to go out and clean up litter, whether plastic or otherwise.

He told a press conference at the UN Environment Assembly: ‘I believe the most important thing is the message given by people who go out and pick up trash, which somebody has just thrown out of their car window, and other waste in the environment.

‘They see that their friend, neighbour or colleague from work or member of their family went out and with their own bare hands picked up some trash because there is no other way to collect it. If they see their friends doing it they will probably think twice before doing it [dropping litter] again.’

Join the Daily Mail's Great British Spring Clean for organised litter-picks across the country

Join the Daily Mail's Great British Spring Clean for organised litter-picks across the country

He made his comments after being told about the nationwide British clean-up promoted by the Mail. Mr Kiisler, who

read more from dailymail.....

PREV Arizona girl, 18, is arrested 'after killing married park ranger dad riding his ... trends now
NEXT Georgia woman who has lost two babies makes emotional plea for separate waiting ... trends now