Tuesday 11 April 2017

UK Government to clamp down on litterbugs

The UK Government has unveiled a new strategy to reduce littering.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom hopes the proposals for new enforcement, education and community engagement will reduce the annual burden of nearly £800 million in cleanup costs to the taxpayer.

Under the National Litter Strategy, litterbugs could be hit with £150 fines, while vehicle owners could receive penalty notices if it can be proved litter was thrown from their car.

The new motoring rules make owners liable even if they didn’t throw the litter themselves. They are already being enforced in London.

Ms Leadsom said: "Litter is something that affects us all – blighting our countryside, harming our wildlife, polluting our seas, spoiling our towns and giving visitors a poor impression of our country.

"Our litter strategy will tackle this antisocial behaviour by building an anti-litter culture; making it easier for people to dispose of rubbish and hitting litter louts in the pocket."

Other measures will include guidance for councils on better ‘binfrastructure’, stopping councils from charging householders for disposal of household waste at rubbish dumps and working with Highways England to target the worst litter hotspots across the UK's roads.

Greenpeace activists today installed a plastic sculpture at Coca Cola’s offices to protest against ocean pollution.

A new inquiry into plastic waste management in the UK has also been launched.