Get local information using your postcode, including:
- Bin Collection Days
- Planning Applications
- Recycling Sites
Quick links
Do it online
Featured pages
out of hours
Out of hours emergency number for all Forest Heath District Council services
01284 763252

Litter Awareness

 

For more information, please contact Environmental Services:

Telephone: 01638 719284
Email: sort-it@forest-heath.gov.uk


Facts about litter

  • Taxpayers spend over £500m a year to clean the streets;
  • Around a third of all fires are caused by accumulations of litter; and 
  • Thanks to the growing presence of dropped food, the rat population now stands at approximately 60 million.

This is an image of cigarette litter. What is litter?
Litter has a broad definition. As well as wrappers, cans, bottles or packaging, it includes food, small items such as cigarette ends and chewing gum and large items such as bags of rubbish.

What is not classed as litter?
Vegetation which is overgrown, leaves or weeds are not classed as litter as they are naturally occurring. This is known as detritus. Dog faeces are classed as refuse and are subject to different laws.

What types of rubbish do people throw away in Forest Heath?
There are many different types of litter, including:

In the Local Environmental Quality Survey of Forest Heath between March 2006 and April 2007 it was found that:

  • 83% of sites surveyed contained smoking-related litter;
  • 72% of sites surveyed contained confectionary packets; and
  • 51% of sites surveyed contained non-alcoholic drinks related litter.

Why do people litter?
People litter for any number of reasons, the most common being:

  • Nowhere to put litter in a car;
  • The area was already run down and dirty so littering doesn’t matter;
  • Lack of education and awareness about what to do with litter;
  • Not being brought up to know any better;
  • Knowing litter will be cleaned up by someone else; or
  • Insufficient litter bins in the place.

What type of people litter?
There are several different types of people that litter, a report by ENCAMS in 2007 classified them into six different groups, to see a copy of the information, please click here.

Is it an offence to drop litter?
The answer is YES. Littering in a public place without clearing it up is a crime and carries an £80 fine, or if taken to court can be a maximum fine of £2,500. Prosecutions for littering are brought under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Section 87 - Offence of Leaving Litter).

What should I do if I see someone littering?
If you see someone littering you should report it to the Council as soon as possible. As a witness, it is important that you gather as much information as possible about the incident - this should include the time, location and a description of the litter and litterer. If you are willing to say what you saw, you will be required to give a statement to an Enforcement Officer.

If the case does go to court and there is a plea of not guilty, you may be required to give evidence in court. However, it is more common for cases to be dealt with by letter if the accused pleads guilty. In some cases prosecution may not be necessary and a caution from the council or police will suffice.

If you see litter being thrown from a vehicle onto public land, this is also an offence and the same details should be recorded including the vehicle registration, and whether the driver or passenger threw the litter.

This is an image of litter.What should I do with any litter I accumulate?
First find a litter bin. If there are no bins around, take the litter home. Find your nearest litter bin by clicking here.


Who is responsible for clearing litter?
Forest Heath District Council has a legal duty to clear litter and refuse from public places for which it is responsible, including streets, parks, playgrounds and pedestrianised areas. If a piece of private land is littered, the owner should accept responsibility for clearing the litter. But we should all help by not dropping litter in the first place.

How is the Council working to reduce litter?
The Council works in a number of ways to reduce litter:

  • Placing of litter bins where needed;
  • Altering sweeping and cleansing schedules to meet with the results of the NI 195; and
  • Raising awareness with residents.

Where can I find further information and advice?
If you require any of the following...

  • You wish to report litter problems in the district
  • Further information and advice
  • To report a litter offence
  • To make a complaint or compliment about the service provided

... Please contact Environmental Services.

General information is also available on the following website(s):

Copyright| Disclaimer| Privacy| Internet Standards
Forest Heath District Council District Offices, College Heath Road, Mildenhall. Suffolk IP28 7EY Tel: +44(0)1638 719000