Litter

It is an offence for a person to throw down, drop, deposit and then leave, litter in any place that is open to the air, and this includes both public and private land. Although the total amount of litter in public places is decreasing, in town centres it is on the rise, largely as a result of an increased night-time economy.

This increase gives rise to particular types of litter, for example fast food packaging, food deposits, cigarette butts, glass bottles, drinks cans, chewing gum, promotional flyers and drug-related material, such as syringes.

Businesses may not be directly responsible for the actions of their customers but they can influence behaviour by encouraging them not to drop litter. Alternatively, they can set a good example – nearly three-quarters of businesses say they clear up litter from outside their premises.

The Local Environmental Quality Survey of England (LEQSE)
investigates cleanliness standards in streets and open spaces and assesses what impact this has. Each year it surveys more than 12,000 sites to measure the quality of local communities. The survey provides the most reliable evidence on local environmental standards and management issues.

Chewing gum

Flattened gum is the most common form of street staining and a problem that is particularly evident in busy locations such as main town and city centres, local retail and commercial areas and transport hubs. It is also particularly difficult and expensive to remove.

A Voluntary Code of Practice for Food on the Go has been established by Defra. The code outlines recommendations for all businesses selling any edible products that can be eaten immediately after leaving their premises.

It applies to those who sell food and drink for immediate consumption as their main or sole purpose, as well as those for whom it is a secondary business function. While the code is written for fast food operators, it must also have an effect upon statutory bodies and the public in order to be effective.

Smoking-related litter

From 1 July 2007, smoking will be banned in all enclosed public spaces including pubs, cinemas, offices, factories and public transport. To tackle a potential increase in cigarette end litter it will be essential to provide cigarette litter bins which display signage that encourages safe litter disposal.

Drugs-related litter

This type of litter includes needles, syringes, foils, swabs, spoons, plastic bottles and cans.
Although widespread incidences of drugs-related litter are rare, problem hotspots do occur where used and discarded needles and syringes cause fear and alarm. A variety of measures are available to help local authorities and other land managers deal with drugs-related litter and minimise public exposure to the problem.