‘Litter is a major environmental problem, and one that is getting worse, not better. Today’s figures are a message to those bodies charged with enforcing litter laws that they need to do more to clean up their act.’

This was the response of Ben Stafford, Head of Campaigns at CPRE [1] to the results of the Local Environmental Quality Survey of England for 2006/07. [2]

The annual survey, produced by ENCAMS [3], shows that the headline indicator on litter (all areas) has slipped from ‘Satisfactory’ to ‘Unsatisfactory’.

CPRE is campaigning for concerted action by central and local government and other enforcement bodies to clean up litter and fly-tipping. These problems are particularly acute in rural areas, where litter and fly-tipped rubbish disfigure the countryside, and are often left to lie much longer than in towns and cities.

Ben Stafford said:

‘Litter is a problem that must be addressed at all levels of society. The starting point, of course, is that people should not drop it. But unfortunately litter does get dropped, and it is then essential that those bodies with the authority and the duty to clean it up do so.

‘Environment Minister Jonathan Shaw says that local authorities are using their new powers to tackle litter, but the picture is patchy, and the level of priority given to tackling this blight insufficient. As Mr Shaw says, there is much room for improvement.’ [4]

Ben Stafford concluded:

‘Gordon Brown has indicated this week that the Government may be ready to adopt a tougher line on single-use plastic bags. That is a welcome step, but we need stronger political leadership across the board. If we ignore litter, as we all know, it attracts more litter.’

– END –

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk

2. The Local Environmental Quality Survey of England is produced on behalf of Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) by ENCAMS from a representative sample of 54 local authorities across the nine regions of England. The 2006/07 LEQ survey is the sixth.

3. ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns) is the environmental charity that runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. As well as working on litter, it campaigns on issues such as graffiti, fly-posting, abandoned vehicles and gum dropping. ENCAMS is partly grant-funded by Defra.

4. Defra’s press release on the Local Environmental Quality Survey of England can be viewed at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080304b.htm