Battling with street litter

‘Bag it, Bin it’ was announced by the Highways Agency – part of the Department for Transport – on Wednesday to fight the problem of litter on roads across England as part of its commitment to protecting the environment.

The ‘Bag it, Bin it’ campaign has support from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). Drivers are being encouraged to pick up a Highways Agency litter bag to put rubbish in and dispose of it in a bin when they reach their destination – rather than throwing it from a car window.

Litter bags will be distributed in service stations across the country.

Highways Agency Chief Executive, Archie Robertson, said:

“This unsightly and environmentally damaging problem is a big concern for us. Money spent on clearing litter thrown from vehicles could be better spent in reducing congestion and improving safety.

“We want all road users to think about the consequences of littering.”

With many people out on the roads during the holiday season, litter can build up and may often block drains. In the last 12 months items found by the side of the region’s motorways have included two kayaks, 14 bikes, a flat screen TV, an oxygen cylinder, a table tennis table and a child’s pram, the Highways Agency reports.

The ‘Bag it, Bin it’ campaign is supported by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), and their new president, Bill Bryson, who has placed litter at the top of his agenda.

“This is a multi-million pound campaign, which tackles a huge problem,” a spokesperson from CPRE told Edie.

“There’s a strong educational element [in this campaign]…so we hope it encourages keeping [our] streets tidy.”

In a similar move to clean up UK beaches, the Marine Conservation Society runs a campaign in called “Beachwatch”. This year’s 13th Beachwatch takes place in September and aims to fight beach litter and survey coastline for marine wildlife and environment.

Dana Gornitzki