Protest at red rubber band littering

Keep Britain Tidy has sent more than 13,000 discarded elastic bands back to the post office to protest about them being dropped on streets.


The anti-litter charity says it has ‘seen red’ over Royal Mail workers discarding the red bands on pavements as they do their daily rounds.

According to the charity the Royal Mail currently spends £1m-a-year on replacing the dropped rubber bands.

In April Keep Britain Tidy warned postal workers they could face fines and asked people to collect any bands found on pavements and driveways and the charity is now set to bounce them back to Royal Mail in a giant see-through envelope.

Dickie Felton, spokesman from Keep Britain Tidy said: “We were amazed that our campaign caused such a commotion.

“We received hundreds of letters stuffed with red rubber bands from across the country.

“Clearly people are fed-up with posties carelessly throwing these bands on the floor.

“We accept that dropping an elastic band is hardly the worst littering offence in the world, but none-the-less it is litter.

“The bands look terrible strewn on the floor and pose a choking danger to pets and wildlife.”

A giant envelope containing all 13,000 bands was given to the Royal Mail outside its head office in London on Thursday (25 June).

Anyone caught dropping litter can receive an on-the-spot fine of £80 – with the penalty rising to a maximum of £2,500 if the case goes to court.

Luke Walsh

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe