Each summer since 2014, the City of St. John’s hires a litter crew that are mandated to clean the most travelled streets of the city and areas where litter concentrates.

6 Tonnes of Litter

Over 12 weeks, the 2022 summer litter crew used 575 clear garbage bags to pick up nearly 6 tonnes of litter from roadsides in St. John’s – with a four-person litter crew that is more than 55 pounds of litter picked up every day by each individual crew member!

Unfortunately, all kinds of litter is found along our roadways. The most common items picked up this summer includes all the usual litter clean up culprits: disposable coffee cups, plastic wrap from cigarette packs, paper straws and bottle caps – and since the global pandemic we are also finding many disposable face masks along roadsides in our community.

Thank you to this summer’s litter crew for doing this valuable and important work, and to thank all citizens who do their part to put garbage in the proper place.

• 575 = Number of clear garbage bags used
• 6 tonnes (13,230 pounds) = amount of litter collected in 12 weeks by the crew
• 55 pounds = amount of litter collected by each crew member each day
• 100+ = number of streets cleaned, including all major thoroughfares
• 8 = number of illegal dump sites cleaned

Frequently seen litter types

• coffee cups
• plastic from cigarette packs
• disposable face masks
• lotto tickets (no winners found!)
• bottle caps
• paper straws

Great things about being a litter collector

• Being outside during summer.
• Public thanks for the work, by honking or stopping by to offer thanks and sometimes cold drinks!
• Work at a reasonable pace with no quotas to fill or direct customers to serve.