The Edinburgh International Conference Centre's green team is gearing up to help keep Edinburgh clean next week.

The EICC's annual clean-up will take place in the area surounding the West End venue on Monday 23rd July 2007.

The clean-up will start from the EICC on Morrison Street at 9.15am, with 25 staff members working in two teams to tackle the area surrounding the conference centre. The teams will leave from Morrison Street, head into Shandwick Place and continue along into Princes Street Gardens before returning via Rutland Square.

The staff will be easy to spot in their yellow EICC tabards, carrying litter pickers and bags as they scour the streets for any litter.

The clean-up is an annual event. It is coordinated by EICC staff in support of the Keep Edinburgh Clean anti-litter campaign, which aims to change littering behaviour amongst residents and visitors to Edinburgh.

On average 50 tonnes of litter are collected each day in Edinburgh, which is the equivalent of 6 ½ African elephants. Ten tonnes of this rubbish comes from the city centre alone, where 1000 bins line the streets.

The most recent independent results show that Edinburgh has maintained its record cleanliness levels. Cleanliness Index Monitoring (CIMS) scores from Keep Scotland Beautiful have remained at their highest ever for the second time this year. The streets achieved a score of 70 in March and June, which is well above the acceptable level of 67.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, Executive Member for Environment, said: "Clean-ups like these are a great way for people to play their part in helping to keep Edinburgh clean and tidy. On the whole, results show that the city is cleaner and it's down to the dedication and commitment of the staff, residents and visitors in Edinburgh that we are achieving such positive results. We all need to take a pride in our surroundings and keep our city beautiful."

John Summers OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "I congratulate the management and staff at the EICC for their continuing efforts to improve the quality of the environment both within and around the EICC complex. Businesses have a vital role to play in ensuring Edinburgh is clean and tidy and that residents and visitors have a good experience of the city. The Conference Centre is an important player in attracting business to the city and I am pleased to see them rolling up their sleeves and doing their bit for the environment."

Staff from Keep Edinburgh Clean and Keep Scotland Beautiful will be on hand to support the EICC's clean-up and will collect and dispose of any rubbish collected by the green team.

Since March 2007, more than 40 clean ups have taken place in Edinburgh with 1,079 volunteers involved. These events have ranged from community groups and schools to clean ups which have even been dedicated to singles groups.

One of the biggest problems with litter and rubbish in the City Centre are commercial businesses and illegal HMO's who use the public footpaths to dump their rubbish so I would like to suggest to the EICC Green Team to take a camera and a pencil and paper and take note of the offenders and give them to the Edinburgh City Centre Neighbourhood Partnership Team for action (Ed.)

Unfortunately I will be unable to join the EICC Team on Monday as I and others are showing a group of Council Officials and Councillors round the Tollcross CC area that is covered by the City Centre Team. I hope we both enjoy the areas usually good weather during our Walkabouts. (Ed.)
Gateway to City tour highlights litter problems

Pictures of Morrison Street and the Chukie Pend courtesy Tollcross Pics