Litter legends clean up vapes, car parts in record waste haul

Published 12 March 2026

• Lazy litterers have been called out in Moreton Bay after volunteers removed more than 7 tonnes of rubbish in a mammoth clean-up effort 
• The huge waste haul included items such as vapes, car parts and recyclables, prompting Council to urge litterers to clean up their act
• Mayor Peter Flannery has called on the community to do their bit to keep the City clean 

Lazy litterers are being urged to bin their bad habits after volunteers removed more than 7 tonnes of waste in a major clean-up effort across Moreton Bay. 

Vapes and car parts were just some of the environmentally destructive waste items uncovered in what was one of the City’s best efforts for Clean Up Australia Day in recent times, with a record 160 sites registered.

An incredible 2,516 volunteers came together for the event to help protect the environment, eliminate litter and end waste.  

Mayor Peter Flannery said it was great to see such a huge turnout but was dismayed by the volume of waste being carelessly left for others to clean up. 

“We had such a great turnout with families, friends, school groups, faith-based groups and community groups rolling up their sleeves to help keep our City beautiful,” he said. 

“Together, these volunteers worked to remove more than 7 tonnes of waste from our parks, bushlands, waterways and neighbourhoods, which is an amazing effort.

“However, it is concerning such a large volume of waste has been carelessly disposed of in our natural environment.

“The vast majority was general waste, with items such as vapes, car parts, building materials, bike frames and even solar spotlights collected.

“The haul also included 520kg of recyclables and 820kgs of tyres, which shows we need to continue to support our community to reduce and better manage waste.

“As we go green as we grow, it’s more important than ever for residents to take responsibility for waste disposal and for Council to continue to support initiatives like Clean Up Australia Day, which we’ve been part of for more than a decade now.” 

Clean Up Australia Day is just one of the sustainable waste campaigns Council is involved in, with others including Plastic Free July, National Recycling Week, International Composting Awareness Week, and our annual Garage Sale Trail.

Council also offers waste education programs to help reduce, sort, and better manage waste. 

To help keep City of Moreton Bay clean, Council urges residents to dispose of their rubbish thoughtfully, to pick up litter when they see it and report illegal dumping to Council.

“We urge all residents to play their part in keeping our natural environment pristine and healthy so our community can enjoy it for generations to come,” Mayor Flannery said. 

For more information visit: Rethink waste - City of Moreton Bay