Dozens of volunteers who went out last weekend as part of the Clean Up the World Day, believe that Tonga needs to clean up its act because there is an awful lot more rubbish out there to pick up - they were overwhelmed by it and some groups ran out of bags.

Penny Dutton from the AusAid Solid Waste Management Project, who organised the Clean Up the World Day in Tonga said that she had received reports from various groups who took part. Due to very wet weather on September 18, the Tongatapu and 'Eua Clean Ups were held the following Saturday.

In Kolomotu'a, 20 Peace Corp volunteers, staff and their families (Tongans and foreigners) cleaned along the beach front from the Royal Palace to the Little Italy Restaurant. They also cleaned up the low-tide zone along the beach front. This group collected between 40 and 50 bags of rubbish in this area alone.

A spokesperson for the group, Karen Porter, had reported that although they were able to pick up a lot of rubbish amongst the rocks, they were unable to reach even more rubbish under the rocks. She said she felt disgusted by how much rubbish was still out there and that Tonga is drowning in rubbish.

Penny also reported that another Peace Corp group of 10 volunteers collected rubbish between the Dateline Hotel and Vuna Wharf. They collected 25 bags of rubbish and had to stop because they ran out of bags.

Penny reported that in the villages, seven volunteers from youth groups in Veitongo collected at their beach and filled 20 large rubbish bags.

Six youth volunteers from village of Kolonga collected 50 bags of rubbish.

Penny said that she was yet to hear from other youth groups who held their clean up on Saturday, it was likely they found it easy to fill many bags with rubbish.

The Solid Waste Management Project helped by providing the bags and gloves through a Small Grant. Waste Management Ltd took the rubbish to Popua Dump at the end of the pick up.