Cleaning litter

Clean litter for an accurate measurement of weight.

To find out how much the collected litter weighs, it is important to remove any biological material (e.g., sand, seaweed, sea creatures) that may make items seem heavier than they are. Dry litter can be brushed with a clean paintbrush to remove sand. Wet items may need to be gently washed in water to remove sand and other natural material. Wet items must be left to dry before they are weighed. Some items like sponges are easier to clean when dry.

Do Not clean or wash sanitary items and other hazardous items such as diapers/nappies, sanitary pads, tampons, condoms, and needles.

These items can be noted at the study site and disposed of appropriately.

A clean, dry proxy can then be weighed to find the estimated weight of those items.

For example, a dry and unused diaper can be weighed, and that weight can be assigned to all used diapers found during surveys. This helps to keep all helpers safe and healthy.

When your litter is clean and dry it is ready to be weighed.