Brussels seeks 1,000 volunteers for World Cleanup Day

The City of Brussels is appealing for volunteers to help tidy up their neighbourhood on World Cleanup Day this Saturday.

City officials are hoping to encourage at least 1,000 residents and traders to lend a hand in the collective clean-up action.

Manneken Pis will be dressed in his street cleaner costume for the occasion. The city's 15 waste collection depots will also open their doors to the public, allowing people to meet and talk to the municipal workers whose job is to clean the city's streets each day.

The City of Brussels can supply cleaning equipment such as gloves, bags and litter pickers for anyone who wants to take part. Individuals can clean the area around their home or work in teams on a collective clean-up of a larger area.

"Our services work hard every day so that everyone who lives and works here does so in a pleasant environment," said Zoubida Jellab, the Brussels city councillor for public cleanliness.

"A city is not dirty - it is made dirty. I invite everyone to join the World Cleanup Day and get to know the people who are committed to a clean city every day."

Last year, 1,250 people took part in the initiative and Jellab is hoping for a bigger turnout this year.