Environment First goes ‘supersonic’ to keep Airbourne litter free

Eastbourne Borough Council’s new waste, recycling and street cleansing service, Environment First, hit the afterburners during Airbourne to keep the town looking its best.

The UK’s number one free air show attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from far and wide, with fans of the event flocking to the seafront, town centre and surrounding downland vantage points.

Councillor Jonathan Dow, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “I’m so proud of what Environment First is achieving and Airbourne showcased perfectly how the whole team is working together. Nearly 22 tonnes of waste were collected, that’s the equivalent of two RAF Typhoons.

“Environment First hit the ground running from day one and their efforts were nothing short of supersonic!”

A 20 strong crew of Environment First staff ensured that every inch of the Airbourne landscape was picture perfect, from event take-off on Thursday right through to the stunning Sunday night firework display.

Members of the clean up team

Round-the-clock litter-picking, regular emptying of litter bins, removal of trade wheelie bins and active monitoring of all key areas, made sure Eastbourne’s first-class reputation as one of the cleanest towns in the UK continues to sparkle.

Joyce Miller, 71, from Brighton, said: “This is my first visit to Eastbourne for many years and in terms of cleanliness you just can’t beat it. The air show was very enjoyable but with all the people it attracts you’d expect a right mess left behind, but not at all, the seafront has been spotless all week.”

On Monday morning a group of volunteers joined with Environment First team leaders on the beaches for a final sweep of the area following the firework finale the night before.

Councillor Dow added: “I would like to thank the volunteers who did a brilliant job on the beach litter pick and a special mention for Richard Westgate and Martin Hobbs, two very dedicated and hardworking guys on the Environment First leadership team, both of whom excelled in making this clean-up operation a success.”

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