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Fast Food Accounts for 33 Percent of All Street Litter, Survey Finds

13 April 2011

According to a new survey by Keep Britain Tidy, fast food litter, along with confectionary and tobacco, is the most prevalent rubbish on the street

Fast food amounted to 33 percent of all litter on the streets in the UK, while sweet and chocolate wrappers accounted for 18 percent.

Tobacco packaging was the third highest type of litter found during the national study, accounting for 17 percent of all litter found.

According to Keep Britain Tidy, over 2.5 million pieces of litter are dropped on the streets of the UK everyday, with an annual cost of around £858m a year being spent on street cleansing.

The survey states that almost half the population has admitted to dropping litter at some time or another.

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

The new survey launched to coincide with Keep Britain Tidy's new campaign, Love Where You Live.

Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Phil Barton said: "Love Where You Live is a unique campaign. It is about everyone, from individuals and community groups to local authorities and multi-national corporations, working together to transform our country.

"We need to make a change so that this country is no longer a place where it is, seemingly, acceptable for some to throw litter.

"It is time for us to start taking some pride in our country and for everyone to love where they live. It is not someone else's responsibility - it is everyone's responsibility."

Environment Secretary Caroline Spellman added: "Love Where You Live is about society taking collective responsibility for the litter that blights our communities and countryside and annoys so many of us.

"Campaigns like this are so important to get the message out there that's it's not OK to just chuck your litter to the ground or out of the car window. It's a message that we need to keep repeating to make people who trash our countryside and towns think twice."

For the full survey visit:
http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/ImgLibrary/Keep%20Britain%20Tidy%20Branded%20Litter%20Study%202011-%20FINAL_2880.pdf

Darrel Moore