Essex Food Litter Campaign

Published on 8 March 2010

Epping Forest District Council, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy (KBT), is tackling fast food litter on our streets. The official campaign was launched on Friday 26 February 2010. The campaign message includes posters showing how dropping litter can make people appear as ‘dirty pigs’ to others, in an attempt to change attitudes. The posters will go up on billboards, bus shelters, phone boxes and an Advan displaying the poster has also been travelling around the district.

Fast food and its packaging makes up a quarter of all litter on the streets. In addition to attracting pests and wild animals, neighbourhoods blighted by litter can often act as a magnet to more serious crimes.

The environmental charity ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ has previously used the ‘Dirty Pig’ campaign aims successfully to tackle the problem of wrappers, cartons and uneaten food dropped on the ground.

Fast food filth facts:

• Fast food litter is a major problem, it refers to food eaten on the go and its packaging which ends up strewn on our streets
• Food litter can cause permanent grease stains to pavements
• Not only does dropped food litter look a mess, it also attracts rats and other vermin
• It adds considerably to the costs of street cleansing

Councillor Mary Sartin, the Environment Portfolio Holder said: “Fast food litter is a problem for many communities and it can be a real eyesore that can adversely affect the community’s perceptions of their neighbourhood. This Essex-wide initiative is a great opportunity to work with fast food suppliers to increase awareness and tackle the problem.”

For more information visit:

• Keep Britain Tidy website

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