Forum Topic

Britain’s Filthy Streets

Removing litter from our streets costs more than £1 billion a year.Fiona Foster talks to the councils, communities and innovators who are attempting to tackle the problem.ITV 7.30 pm tomorrow. Thursday.

Rima Jones ● 1993d39 Comments

Rima, litter is everywhere. I happen to be a volunteer litter picker and try to keep our road clear of the stuff. The trick is not to let it build up. However it does have a mind of its own and is always back the next day alas. Nice to see a litter free road though !

Chris Vessey ● 1993d

Well we will see what there is to say about it on tonight’s programme!I’ve been doing outside mine for years and putting glass bottles, cans, plastic bottles and other recyclables in my LBH boxes. Crisp packets, biscuit wrappers etc in nearest litter bin but I don’t do the whole road!

Rima Jones ● 1992d

I understand that glass and aluminium are recyclable indefinitely and it saves energy and emissions as well.

Philippa Bond ● 1992d

I agree Rima, if everyone cleared just outside their property the problem would be solved. However you and I are the odd ones out, and this simply does not happen. Best wishes.

Chris Vessey ● 1992d

Lots of people moan but you often find that they either don't do anything about it themselves or by reporting it for the council/council's contractors to deal with.Then they wonder why there are complaints about the nanny state.  Some things able people can easily deal with.  Be thankful if you are still be able because not everyone is!

Philippa Bond ● 1992d

Long live litter pickers I say Philippa !We have a large group of volunteer pickers in my locality, we are extremely fortunate ! It is SAD that we are needed though !!

Chris Vessey ● 1992d

I agree!We were always taught to take our rubbish home.It is very satisfying to create a waste-free picnic to take when picknicking.

Philippa Bond ● 1992d

Yes but it is all those people who just drop whatever it is on the pavement without any thought of how it’s going to disappear. It’s astonishing how much is left in or next to litter bins for the council to clear up every day.Concrete, timber, poo bags, nappies ..........

Rima Jones ● 1992d

Rima yes I know it's pretty disgusting what some people drop only for others to pick up, dirty people; and then there are clean people who are refreshing. Our road is clean at the moment. Bet tomorrow morning it will need to be picked again, that's where I come in. I wizz  round on my bike cleaning it all up without touching it and then straight into a Hounslow Council Green Bag...job done !

Chris Vessey ● 1992d

I'm interested in litter picking as well. Sorry for my silly questions. How can I get hold of green bags? How should I dispose of the litter after collection? Are there any litter picking groups around?

M Clemente ● 1992d

Cllr Ron Mushiso leads one which is organised by Mitra Alam.  I'll look for a post to bump.

Philippa Bond ● 1992d

Litter on the pavement really annoys me, so I kick it out of the way into the gutter, but it would be useful to know which gets swept more often - the road or the pavement?  In Ealing?  In Hounslow?

Peter Evans ● 1992d

Thanks for the link.

M Clemente ● 1992d

Ever considered picking this litter up and disposing of it?  Not much good kicking it into the gutter!

Jennifer selig ● 1992d

Do the litter pickers put recyclables eg cans, glass and plastic bottles etc in separate bags for recycling collection?

Rima Jones ● 1992d

M Clements, if you are aware of a local residents association for your area they will be able to help you. Otherwise speak to the Hounslow Council Cleansing Dept for green sacks I suggest and good luck there.

Chris Vessey ● 1992d

Peter, be careful what you kick into the gutter, you could be accused of fly tipping which carries £100 fine.

Chris Vessey ● 1992d

Rima, no the rubbish is not sorted. Time is of the essence, these groups are maybe 30/40 in number and can fill 60+ green sacks on a days pick. Also is the current hazard of covid19 so best not to touch this stuff. So please take extra care if you sort this rubbish particularly with discarded face masks of which there are many.

Chris Vessey ● 1992d

Yes I have my mask and gloves on. Recyclables in my LBH boxes. Other stuff including masks in litter bin for incineration. It actually takes no longer to separate the stuff. This in here and that in there.

Rima Jones ● 1992d

ROFL, we get our street swept in the People's Republic of Ealing once a year

peter king ● 1992d

I know that this can be done.We managed Zero Waste on Green Days with over 2000 people of all ages attending.Just a small team of us who knew what we were doing and keeping cheerful!When the contractors came to collect they were amazed.They thought we wouldn’t be able to do it including food waste.So amazed they didn’t even charge us for it!

Rima Jones ● 1991d

Peter at that rate presumably you can't see where the road and pavement are. Six feet deep in fly tipping ! Shame on you Ealing Council !! Well Hounslow is better than that but at a cost, lots and lots of dosh. That is why it is good for all if residents can volunteer as their street litter picker, the more the merrier. It would surely keep the costs down and the streets clean.

Chris Vessey ● 1991d

"you could be accused of fly tipping which carries £100 fine"You are having a larf!  Nobody gets fined for fly-tipping in Hounslow Borough. It's a fly-tippers paradise. Instead of cleaning up after the scum who litter day after day, this Council should be taking preventative action.

Steve Taylor ● 1991d

Steve, I find it rather odd you expect the Council to take responsibility for cleaning up after these filthy morons. We the citizens should take control and clean up after ourselves surely. Hounslow btw is fairly clean compared to some neighbouring Boroughs I have seen, Hillingdon for instance is piled high with crap electrical goods, bedding and old furniture. Lots of this stuff you pay Travellers for taking it off your hands and they fly tip it. I am getting tired now and need zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

Chris Vessey ● 1991d

Did anybody watch this?

Philippa Bond ● 1988d

The biggest contributor to litter in our street is the bin men.  I watched them this morning as they put the wheelie bins on the back of the truck and every time something fell on the road they left it there.  Rubbish in bags were dragged to the truck and where they ripped they just left the detritus where it fell.  As has already been said Ealing don't sweep our streets we also currently have loads of very slippy blossom everywhere just to add to the general filth.  Age old story - we pay more council tax and get less services!

Fiona Campbell ● 1988d

I was reading a Council contract (not LBH) for business waste the other day and the business is responsible for clearing up any waste that the contractor drops. You'd have to recognise your waste because they collect early in the morning.I thought the idea sold to residents was that wheelie bins should be the magic answer because responsibility would end at putting them out - and then bringing them back in.  Cleaning the street before a collection didn't work because of the amount of time until the next clean and cleaning the street afterwards didn't work because the operatives made no effort to be careful.It all goes back to monitoring - both of the state of the wheelie bins awaiting collection - and of the care taken emptying them and returning them.The less you have the easier it is to deal with.If your pavements are slippery then you should report it to the Council/your Councillors.  They have an idea where the most leaves collect but blossom is a different case.I also believe that you may be able to get a bag from HH to put the street brushings into yourself should you feel so community minded.

Philippa Bond ● 1988d

I watched it and it’s appalling to see how much litter is being left in parks, on beaches and round the streets.with councils struggling to clear it up.Affecting wildlife and the rivers and seas.

Rima Jones ● 1988d

That doesn’t happen at all round our way in LBH.The crew are meticulous and if anything drops from over full recycling boxes they pick it up then return the empty boxes stacked where they found them including food waste bins.If we happen to be around at the time they greatly appreciate a thank you.

Rima Jones ● 1988d

Another good thing.The Arts Ed students of all ages in Bath Road no longer dump all sorts into or next to the single litter bin outside which is emptied by the council early every morning. Just an occasional single use coffee cup grabbed early in the morning. Brilliant. Education is key and long may it continue.

Rima Jones ● 1988d

That's great news.  I agree education is key.  I hope they are learning about the circular economy too.

Philippa Bond ● 1988d

Good morning Rima. There is a good 2 page article pages 28/29 in Daily Mail today, a good read. Our friendly motorists throwing out their litter into hedgerows etc.Now the litter cams are coming !

Chris Vessey ● 1987d

I pick litter on a near daily basis from my street. Last week human faeces and four instances of dog fouling one was bagged but just left in the street. I just don’t understand this.

Liam Robinson ● 1986d

Always amazes me how much MacDonalds litter is dumped on streets. Is it a prerequisite to eating or drinking MacDonalds products that you have to be a ........?

Steve Taylor ● 1986d

Hi Liam, they are filthy sods. Never come upon human waste but dog waste in black bags and nappies with baby crap yes often in the Summer months. I picked our road at 10 am today, went for my daily bike ride for a couple of hours. When I came back the fly tipping was back. These are motorists throwing stuff out as they drive along. Some busier A roads are even worse; the World's gone Nuts. Pickers such as you and I provide a vital service to our local community in my view. We are fortunate to have a very good number of volunteers in this locality. I am the only cyclist picker lol. Well done Liam !

Chris Vessey ● 1986d

Steve, have you noticed nobody admits to fly tipping, so in theory there shouldn't be any. I've seen folks cleaning their car and leaving the stuff in the gutter and pavement.They drive off in nice clean cars and leave all their blooming waste outside our house. Words allude me !

Chris Vessey ● 1986d

I've been at the seaside - beautiful view of sea and sand - and someone enjoying the view finishes their picnic lunch in their car, chucks the packaging all out onto the road and then drives off.  Unbelievable! How did we get here?

Philippa Bond ● 1986d

Philippa and Chris, as you both well know this behavior isn't limited to those in cars. People using the pavement in any manner are also guilty. Daily we pick up KFC litter, empty bottles from the off license across the street, empty glasses from the Roebuck, empty sandwich boxes from Sainsburys, pizza boxes from Franco Manca and Dominos and the occasional used condom tossed in the garden. Add to that, people let their dogs piss on our furniture and planters.

David Lesniak ● 1986d

I agree but when you have bins you get get dumping.  At the seaside they have to lay the wheelie bins on their sides because of the wind them blowing over (it does that in Ealing too and you get to see all the unrecyclables that were in the recycling bin).

Philippa Bond ● 1985d