Rubbish - our national disgrace

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Bill Bryson stepped forward last night and delivered a home truth about the UK that is uncomfortable but accurate - our public areas are strewn with rubbish and we've come to accept it as the norm. The author's Panorama report Notes on a Dirty Island was not all that startling in highlighting what a mess we are collectively in, but that's probably the point. Walking my local streets of Tower Hamlets is not a pleasant experience - there's the discarded fag butts, bottles etc that scatter across the pavements, then there are the impromptu 'rubbish collection areas' that pedestrians decide are bins - unused or empty land, fenced construction areas etc.

Bryson points to the lack of bins in some public areas such as train stations as breeding a worrying attitude amongst the public - that once we are done with stuff we can simply leave it wherever we choose and it will be magically collected.

Unfortunately such a culture must influence industry. As I mentioned construction sites themselves are considered bin alternatives by the public and the habit of discarding unused or unwanted materials and waste wherever one pleases has fed through to the contracting business. Bryson's report touches on fly-tipping, the clean up of which costs the taxpayer in the region of £120m.

As Bryson concludes tackling this problems does not take a massive commitment from local or central Government. Enforcing the law would be a start, followed by the reintroduction of a bottle deposit scheme. Our old friends political will and commitment step into play to stymie such action at the minute. Will we have to rely on the scrutiny of the upcoming Olympics to force us to sort out our streets, rivers and roadsides?  As ever personal action and will is the crucial first step to addressing this.

Comments

[Tim Pollard]

I cannot agree more. I think that this is a national disgrace and comparisons with other countries are shocking. My own particular bete noir is chewing gum. Look beneath your feet wherever you go to see the dalmation effect which is often evident both visually and tactilely. The further bonus of the material having spent some time in someone's mouth before being so carelessly cast aside really finishes it off for me!

[Phil Clark]

And the added effort and waste of water in cleaning the bloody stuff from the pavement...

[Iain Fraser]

Surely the polluter pays principle could be enacted here? A blanket chewing gum tax on all consumers is a pretty clumsy instrument but it's probably the best we'll do.