App users are binning almost 30% more litter
The volume of litter being responsibly binned by North Ayrshire LitterLotto app users has increased by almost 30%.
North Ayrshire Council has teamed up with partners to provide the free LitterLotto app, which offers rewards to encourage people to bin litter responsibly.
The LitterLotto partnership, facilitated by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, offers users the chance to Bin it to win it! with a monthly prize and weekly jackpots.
A monthly cash prize of £100 is up for grabs in North Ayrshire. Every time you responsibly bin a piece of litter you get another entry into the LitterLotto UK wide weekly jackpot of £1,000.
Throughout October, 16,123 pieces of rubbish were binned by app users compared with 12,647 in September – showing a 27% hike.
Quote: During October, the number of items being binned increased considerably, and it is great to see people engaging so enthusiastically with the app. The more litter we can put in the right bins, the less there is ending up on our streets across North Ayrshire. I would like to thank everyone who has already downloaded the app, and would encourage people who are just hearing about it now to find out more.
Quote from: Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy
The council is working closely with Keep Scotland Beautiful on the 12-month pilot initiative, which aims to encourage residents and visitors to place their litter in a bin and develop habits to always dispose of litter responsibly.
The app is designed to inspire North Ayrshire residents and visitors aged 13 and over to bin their waste and pick up litter that has been dropped to help keep our communities and neighbourhoods looking good.
North Ayrshire’s app was launched on April 1 and the number of items being binned has grown steadily since.
It is simple to use, free to enter and all you need to do is:
- download the app
- be litter alert and take a photograph on your device or smart phone as you place your litter into a council street litter bin and
- wait to discover if you are the monthly prize draw winner - selected randomly - in North Ayrshire
All litter counts, from a single disposable coffee cup to a takeaway meal box. You may enter as often as you like as long as you are putting a different piece of litter into a North Ayrshire street litter bin.
The £100 winner for October is Catherine Bayliss, from Irvine. She is planning on spending the money on something nice for her home.
Catherine, who is a retired mother-of-two with three grandchildren, said, “I found out about the app through a friend. I use it a couple of times every week, and I would say to anyone not using it to ‘Just do it!’”
The council has been promoting the app on the side of bin lorries and on public street bins, so you will see it being advertised across North Ayrshire.
Heather McLaughlin, Campaigns and Social Innovation Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, added: “I’m delighted to see that Catherine has been rewarded for doing the right thing through our partnership with LitterLotto and North Ayrshire Council.
“This collaboration is all about encouraging people to help tackle the country’s litter emergency and it’s brilliant to see people across the country continuing their efforts to keep Scotland beautiful.”
David Landsberg, founder and CEO of LitterLotto, said: “We’re proud to partner with North Ayrshire Council to inspire cleaner public spaces through engaging incentives that make binning litter rewarding.”
Please note: You can download the app online at LitterLotto or through your app store. You must be aged 13 or over to get involved. Prizes for users under 18 must be claimed through a parent or legal guardian.
Published: 26 November 2024