The 2016 ACT Rubbish Report surveyed six sites across the ACT and removed an estimated 237 tonnes of waste from waterways, parks and roadways.

Data was collected by volunteers who worked across six locations in the ACT.

Of all the sites, waterways were the most polluted, accounting for 44 per cent of the territory's waste collection.

While waterways were the most polluted sites, the amount of rubbish found in parks increased from an average 232 items found to 303.

It was a similar situation on roadways where the count went up from 196 items to 260.

Food packaging and beverage containers contributed the most to Canberra's overall rubbish count, with plastic making up 28 per cent of waste collected.

Glass and metal were close behind making up 40 per cent of the territory's total waste.

Founder of Clean Up Australia Ian Kiernan said Canberrans needed to make sure they were not only collecting rubbish but disposing of it correctly.

"We've just got to make sure we're properly binning the rubbish to make sure it's not getting out," he said.

"We know that when the rubbish is gone, nature can carry on and that is a pretty good formula."

Mr Kiernan said one way to reduce overall waste would be to attach bottle caps to plastic water bottles, reducing two units of rubbish to one.

"Why aren't they attached to the bottle? They did it with aluminum cans," he said.

"Let's be smart and get on with a financial benefit alongside an environmental benefit."

Despite plastic still being the leading rubbish culprit, there was 7 per cent less plastic rubbish and 26.2 per cent less cigarettes found than the year before.

The ACT is the only territory to have had data released from this year's rubbish report, with all other states and territories to find out their results later this month.

If last year's trends continue, the ACT will still be relatively clean compared to states like New South Wales and Victoria which collected 6351.4 tonnes and 3135 tonnes respectively in 2015.