Barrie residents collect nearly 7 tonnes of litter during cleanup initiative

Litter is pictured on the ground. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Nathan Denette)

A community-wide initiative in the City of Barrie aimed at cleaning up parks, trails, roadways, and public spaces collected nearly seven tonnes of litter.

The City says nearly 17,000 residents participated in the annual Spring Into Clean event, tackling roughly 140 locations.

Volunteers collected 6.47 tonnes of garbage, an increase of 1.6 tonnes from the previous year.

The event coinciding with Earth Week helped raise awareness about environmental issues and promoted social responsibility.

The City said the success of this year's event was partly due to the support of Glen Martin Limited, a local business providing supplies.