Litter and waste dumped all over the countryside is becoming a big problem in the UK. 122 tonnes of cigarette butts and related litter alone is dropped every day in the UK, with fast food wrappers topping the list.
Apart from spoiling the natural beauty of our countryside, litter has huge implications for the health of both animals and people, as well as the state of the environment – it can quickly turn somewhere that should be safe for all to enjoy into a danger zone.
Risks to wildlife – Wildlife can be cut by sharp littered objects, such as glass and cans, be strangled or suffocated by fishing lines and plastic bags, and be poisoned by eating plastics or cigarette butts.
Risks to people – A build-up of litter can cause a spread of infectious diseases. Mosquitoes can breed in rainwater held in littered cups and cans and could transmit Malaria. The large amount of fast food waste has increased the number of rats in Britain to over 60 million, putting people at risk of catching Weil’s disease, which can lead to kidney and liver failure.
Risks to the environment – Packaging can take a huge amount of time to biodegrade; cans made from aluminium can even take over 100 years.
97% of people said that they thought dropping litter was an irritating behaviour but many of these people admitted to littering themselves. So why do people do it? The three main reasons are…
- Not having a disposal bin easily accessible at the time.
- Pure laziness, not being bothered to look around for the nearest bin or to walk to it.
- Following suit, seeing litter lying around and thinking that adding to it makes little difference.
Making some small changes to your everyday behaviour can make a massive difference. Here are 3 simple steps that you can take to help reduce waste in the countryside:
- Stop dropping cigarette butts on the ground – the world is not your ash tray.
- Take plastic bags for your rubbish when eating out and about in the countryside so that it is easy to carry with you and put in the nearest bin.
- Make conscious choices about packaging – don’t buy products with excessive packaging that will likely only end up as non biodegradable litter.
At Rabbit Group we are committed to maximising recycling and minimising landfill. If you want to find out more about our waste management services please call 01903 762020 or contact us via email on info@rabbitgroup.co.uk .
