How you can make the Sault/Algoma a "litter" bit better—SAFELY

So, you’ve decided to pick up litter? Bravo, you magnificent trash warrior! You’re not just tidying up—you’re saving the planet one soggy coffee cup at a time. Why do it? Oh, just to stop toxic chemicals, sneaky microplastics, and grumpy heavy metals from crashing soil and water parties. Plus, it keeps kids, doggos, and woodland critters from stepping on something gross or dangerous. And let’s be honest—nothing says “home sweet home” like a litter-free landscape that doesn’t look like raccoons hosted a rave.

However, litter cleanups are not without risk. If you want to clean up litter around your neighbourhood or a trail you use, we’ve assembled a list of tips for doing it safely and efficiently. (FYI: Clean North does occasional litter cleanups. If you’d like to get on our litter cleanup volunteers list, email us at info@cleannorth.org.)

Be prepared

Scout out the area you’d like to clean up and note potential hazards (traffic, water, uneven terrain, etc.).
Start collecting clear plastic containers with caps/lids to put sharps/drug paraphernalia in.
Avoid cleanups in April. This month is popular for cleanups due to Earth Day, but April weather in the Sault/Algoma is often iffy and trails may be muddy. If you are walking through soggy natural areas to collect litter, you may squish emerging wildflowers. May-September are the best months for litter cleanups.
Check the weather forecast ahead of time and the day of the event. Have an alternative date, and be prepared to cancel/postpone if the weather is poor.
Have a plan for where the trash will go—your trash bin at home? Or a nearby business might let you use their dumpster.
Set an objective and stick to it—if you want to make a trail pretty, avoid getting sidetracked by litter not visible from the trail.
Avoid trespassing.
Dress for the weather and the work—long pants, work gloves, and boots or closed-toe shoes.
Bring a long pointed stick or a litter picker/grabber arm to:
- Help you identify items before picking them up (something that looks like a straw or a pen could be a syringe).
- Help you see if something sharp or toxic is lurking under the visible item
- Save your back (less bending).
Bring heavy-duty trash bags (cheap ones tear easily) or use 5-gallon pails.
Have a second pail for recyclables and beer/wine bottles to turn in to LCBO/The Beer Store. However, if they are filthy and you don’t have the bandwidth to clean them, consider trashing them instead as dirty recyclables can mess up recycling machinery.
Consider bringing water and snacks.

Tips for organizing a group cleanup

Send out a call for volunteers 2-3 weeks ahead of the event—ask for RSVPs so you can prep the required supplies.
Include where and when to meet, how long the cleanup will last, what to bring, and what you will supply.
Respond to RSVPs, compile a participants list, and tell them you will contact them the day before to confirm the event is a go. Be prepared to switch to your alternate date or cancel if the weather is too risky.
Specify whether your event is kid-friendly and for what ages. Younger children may not be safe in some types of sites (for example, lots of traffic, flowing water).
Consider asking people to leave Fido at home. Hands will be full with a pail and grabber, making it hard to monitor a pet’s actions/safety.
Consider bringing a 20-gallon heavy-duty garbage can with a contractor bag liner. Your volunteers can collect litter in their smaller pail and then periodically dump it into the larger can.
Again, have a plan for where the collected litter will go—this is even more important for a group cleanup. You can:
- Put small amounts in your household trash.
- Ask a nearby business if you can use their dumpster.
- If you have a pickup truck or trailer, take your litter load to the landfill. There will be a small fee, but it’s worth it.

Work safe

Start your litter cleanup with a safety meeting and make sure everyone is aware of risks and best practices.
Do not wear headphones (stay alert).
Keep a cell phone handy.
Work in pairs. Supervise youth closely, and consider leaving small children at home. You never know what you will come across when picking up litter.
Take special care when picking up litter along a roadway:
- Clean up one side of the road or street at a time.
- Face traffic (safer than having traffic coming towards your back)
- Wear a high-visibility safety vest, and remember that drivers may not expect to see people on the roadside.
- Don’t step or reach out into any roadway or curbside pavement or gravel to collect litter. That is the city’s responsibility, and even with a high-visibility vest, it is not safe.
Don’t open or drain any fluid from sealed bottles. Use a grabber to pick up and place the sealed container in your pail—set it aside if you suspect it contains a hazardous substance.
Consider bringing a garden rake and shovel for broken glass mixed with gravel. Never use your hand to sweep or probe in weeds or gravel. Even with heavy gloves, glass shards and needles can cut or stab. And that leads to a trip to the ER for your volunteer. When in doubt, leave it.
Be mindful of safe lifting. Don’t try to lift or pull heavy items (old bikes, carpets, furniture, pallets, etc.) by yourself. When in doubt, leave it.
Tell your volunteers that perfection is not the goal—improvement with safety is. If a volunteer feels unsafe handling an item, it’s ok to leave it.
Obey traffic lights; use intersections and marked crosswalks.
Avoid horseplay—litter cleanup comes with risk so save the goofy stuff for later.
Especially in the spring or after heavy rain, be extra-careful around flowing water. Even a small stream can become dangerous when water levels rise. And footing may poor next to ditches, ponds, or streams.

Warning! Take special care with hazardous material

Do not allow children to handle anything that might be hazardous.
Follow A lgoma Public Health guidance for needles. Locations for needle drop-off bins. When handling sharps, wear thick, puncture-resistant gloves—such as leather or Kevlar-lined gloves—use tongs or a litter picker to avoid direct contact. Place sharps in an empty clear plastic bottle and seal it.
Handle discarded aluminum foil with care—more and more, those with substance use disorder are heating street drugs in foil then inhaling the fumes rather than injecting. For discarded foil or other items potentially contaminated with drug residue, disposable nitrile gloves are suitable to protect your skin. Seal foil in a clear plastic container like a gatorade or hand soap bottle and drop off in a needle bin. Avoid touching your face and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. Other items you might see along with the foil (dispose of the same way):
- Lighters, straws, hollowed-out pens, spoons, bottle caps, other makeshift tools
- Small baggies or wrappers
- Pills or crushed pill remnants, empty blister packs, pill bottles
Be extra-cautious with anything that might contain hazardous chemicals, such as a sealed container that contains an unknown liquid, an empty pesticide jug, or a car battery (you can always alert Public Works to the item’s location by calling 705-759-5201).
Know the quickest route to the hospital in case someone gets hurt.