Tips for solving community’s litter problem

While littering levels have reduced in many places thanks to awareness-raising campaigns and improved facilities, litter is a problem that is unlikely to ever be fully eradicated. It’s up to councils and communities to work on managing littering and reaching a level where it is no longer unsightly and doesn’t impact the local environment. 

For some communities, littering is a bigger problem than others. More and more community-based litter picks take place every year. Whilst these projects have excellent intentions, prevention is better than clean-ups.

There have been a number of tried and tested ways for reducing littering levels. Here are some tips for councils and communities that are experiencing problems with litter disposal.

Behaviour change

There isn’t a specific demographic that is solely responsible for littering. It’s wide problem that is influenced by many scenarios. The choices we make when it comes to littering are unpredictable and depend on many factors, so getting people to behave differently is complex. 

We can influence the public’s behaviour by understanding what motivates them: incentives, social norms, decision-making cues and clear, obvious information have been found to help. 

Incentive campaigns

The campaigns that are run should all aim to change the public’s behaviour to encourage the correct disposal of waste correctly. If you want your community to change their littering ways, you have to give them a reason to do so. 

From competitions to new outdoor play equipment for the tidiest parks, there are lots of incentives that will persuade people to improve. 

Giving the public a nudge 

Sometimes all the public needs is a nudge in the right direction. This technique can induce subtle changes in behaviour, reducing the amount of litter on the streets. Examples of this could be footsteps painted on the floor leading towards a bin or making it fun by painting a hopscotch board leading to a bin. 

At Amberol, our educational bins encourage young persons to dispose of waste responsibly. They can also be fitted with a sound card so that they speak every time rubbish is put in them. They’re so popular, we often see children queuing up to put things in the bin. 

Business owners 

Councils can liaise with business owners, especially those with outdoor seating i.e. restaurant, cafés and bars. Bins and ashtrays should be placed at entrances and exits to prevent any litter coming from them. Councils should provide support for businesses that have a particular problem with littering in the community. 

Community awards

Schemes that reward communities for improving the cleanliness of their area can create healthy competition, leading to wide scale improvements. Personalised incentive schemes give councils the chance to prioritise a specific area that may be a problem for them.

Litter bins

The above will of course help towards decreasing littering. But without an adequate amount of bins in the right locations, it will be difficult to see a noticeable change in behaviour. Bins need to have clear signage and the correct size/shape of aperture to ensure that the public use the bins provided.

Amberol bins have helped a number of councils and communities to tackle litter issues, you can find out how by looking at our client case studies.