An app that encourages people to bin litter responsibly across North Ayrshire has almost doubled its success month-on-month.
North Ayrshire’s LitterLotto app is seeing thousands of items of rubbish being binned monthly by users who want to keep their communities tidy. North Ayrshire Council has teamed up with partners to provide the free LitterLotto app. The app offers rewards to encourage people to bin litter responsibly.
The LitterLotto partnership, facilitated by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, gives users the chance to Bin it to win it! by winning a monthly prize and weekly jackpots. A monthly cash prize of £100 is up for grabs in North Ayrshire. Every time you responsibly bin a piece of litter you get another entry into the LitterLotto UK-wide weekly jackpot of £1,000.
Throughout August, users binned 8630 pieces of rubbish – and this number is up from 4942 in July.
Quote: I am delighted that the app is continuing to go from strength to strength here in North Ayrshire, and I would encourage everyone who cares about our local environment to download the app. As a local authority, we have been promoting the app on the side of our bin lorries and on our public street bins to ensure as many people as possible know about it. And we have used regular social media updates to keep our communities informed about how they can get involved. If you already use the app – please tell your friends and family about it.
Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy said:
The council is working closely with Keep Scotland Beautiful. The 12-month pilot initiative aims to encourage residents and visitors to place their litter in a bin and develop habits to always dispose of litter responsibly.
The app is designed to inspire North Ayrshire residents and visitors, aged 13 and over, to bin their waste and pick up litter that has been dropped to help keep our communities and neighbourhoods looking good.
North Ayrshire’s app was launched on April 1 and the number of items being binned has grown steadily since.
It is simple to use, free to enter and all you need to do is:
Download the app. (You must be aged 13 or over to get involved).
Be litter alert and take a photograph on your device or smart phone as you place your litter into a council street litter bin.
Wait to discover if you are the monthly prize draw winner – selected randomly - in North Ayrshire. (Prizes for users under 18 must be claimed through a parent or legal guardian).
All litter counts, from a single disposable coffee cup to a takeaway meal box. Enter as often as you like as long as you are putting a different piece of litter into a North Ayrshire street litter bin.
Heather McLaughlin, Campaigns and Social Innovation Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, added:
“I’m delighted to see that Kathryn has been rewarded for doing the right thing through our partnership with LitterLotto and North Ayrshire Council. This collaboration is all about encouraging people to help tackle the country’s litter emergency and it’s brilliant to see people across the country continuing their efforts to keep Scotland beautiful.”
There is now a guaranteed virtual coins win on the app. The more coins you earn the more entries you can redeem in the coin store – which has exciting prizes on offer.
David Landsberg, founder and CEO of LitterLotto, said:
“We are very proud to be working with North Ayrshire Council and seeing the progress that is being made month on month. The amount of litter that has been binned by app users, so far, is impressive.”
App user Kathryn Strang Sloan is the £100 winner for August. She found out about the app through a friend and is using the money to treat herself to a relaxing spa day.
Kathryn, from Irvine is volunteer with Irvine Clean Up Crew, and said:
“I have two dogs and I use the LitterLotto app every time I walk them. I walk them twice a day and find a lot of litter on our chosen routes. I’ve recommended the app to a lot of people and tell them to do it as it’s well worth it, plus it helps keep the area clean and tidy.”