Litter and related topics
I use collecting rubbish from the roadsides
as a means of spreading awareness of Prostate Cancer. I love these islands.
Rubbish exists and no matter how much money, time
and effort local and national authorities commit to controlling
waste, it is constantly replaced. To stop that happening over and over
again we all have to take responsibility. Until everyone does so the
only way forward is to roll up sleeves and get out there.
Main Players
Locally
In England your local district
council is the waste collection authority while waste disposal is the
responsibility of the county or equivalent council.
Environment Agency
This is the body which operates at a national
level with Parliament to oversee all matters relating to waste. Wales and
Scotland have their own versions, National Resources Wales and Scottish
Environment Protection Agency. Zero Waste Scotland has the job of
minimising and eliminating as much waste as possible.
Keep Britain Tidy inc Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales
Keep Britain Tidy, Keep Scotland Beautiful,
Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful all started out as a single
organisation launched by the WI in the 1950s. Times have moved on but the
fundamentals stay the same. Working within communities the groups aim to
stimulate and educate, while encouraging them to improve their own
environment. Visit websites @
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
CPRE campaigns for change in policy and to
stimulate action on a range of topics including waste. Visit their website
to find out more. www.cpre.org.uk/
Litteraction UK
This is a place where active individuals
and groups can promote their litter collection efforts. Clean up Prostate
Cancer is among them . There is a diary page where groups post information
about future events. There is also a count for total number of bags collected
and reported by all the groups nationally. A growing number of
those are from Clean up Prostate Cancer. Visit www.litteraction.org.uk/
Get
involved
·
Do it yourself. Some people just
take a bag and pick up rubbish. If you would like to make a more
concerted effort there are clear restrictions about disposing
of street litter collections. I recommend you get in touch with the waste
department of your local council for advice. They may also be able to provide
you with equipment and almost certainly bags.
·
Look for a group in your area. The organisations
shown have lists covering the whole country but it is worth keeping an eye on
local press. National Trust, for instance, organises specific events which are
often featured. We have a group who clean up round the railway station on a
Sunday morning who aren't listed anywhere, they just get on and do it.
·
Keep safe. I always wear
working gloves with protection against sharp items and shoes with sturdy soles
for the same reason. I always carry hygienic handwash in my workbox and
use it as soon as I've finished a job. Wear clothes which maximise visibility.
There are recognised margins for clearance from moving traffic. I work alone
using common sense but particularly if you are organising a group event do
ask for advice from the local council waste department. They may recommend
insurance. It's bureaucracy I know, but safety first.
A few
examples of what Government is doing in the UK
·
Since
2006 English and Welsh councils have had the right to impose penalties or fines
for littering. Drop a cigarette stub or dump the old kettle and
you are liable for a fine. Penalties vary but the ones I've found range from
£60-£75.
·
Fly
tipping is a serious criminal offence and in 2014 courts were instructed to
maximise levels of fines imposed on offenders. Be aware, as a householder you
are responsible for making reasonable attempts to ensure anyone working on your
property has made correct provision for disposal of waste.
·
Street
webcams, love or hate them, have become key in identifying and
prosecuting offenders.
·
Laws
have been introduced regarding styles of packaging in an attempt to maximise
recycling and or use of biodegradable materials.
The question you need to ask is who
is responsible?
Bottom line is that everyone
needs to play their part.
Avoid creating rubbish.
Get rid of rubbish properly.
Dog
owners, you know what you should do, do it.
Refuse unnecessary packaging.
See if you can use it again, even if only to
entertain the kids.
Give the people on the frontline, bin men,
street cleaners and their colleagues your support. Help them to do their job
and thank them for doing it, not everyone would.
Take photos, record dates and report
businesses and organisations which fail to dispose of waste properly. They are
breaking the law.
This information is correct at July 2015
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