Latest news with #litter
BBC News
5 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
New bins installed along Tees in Stockton after 50 were scrapped
New bins have been installed along a stretch of land where 50 were previously removed after funding 2023, the Canal and River Trust (CRT) got rid of bins along a stretch of the River Tees in Stockton, saying it could no longer afford to meet the cost of emptying about litter have been raised regularly since, but Stockton Borough Council has now installed four new bins to help keep the area leader Lisa Evans said the local authority had listened to "what people have said about not having bins in this area". "The ward councillors and I have worked with CRT to install four new bins on their land, and the council will be maintaining them to make the area cleaner and a nicer place for everyone," she said."We've listened carefully to what people have said about not having bins in this area, which is very popular with both dog walkers and other visitors."Volunteer litter pickers had been cleaning up the stretch after the bins were CRT previously said it could no longer afford the annual £30,000 cost to maintain the Sean McGinley said the charity was facing soaring costs and stretched said it was upsetting that "people are still leaving litter, which then finds its way into the river". Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
7 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Canterbury's shrubs removed after urine and beer poured on them
Decorative shrubs have been removed from a city centre after they were found to be damaged by urine and other liquids being constantly poured over plants, in St George's Street, Canterbury, Kent, had suffered from "urine, alcohol, fizzy drinks and hot drinks", according to the city planters containing the shrubs had also been filled with cigarette ends and general litter, so they will now be filled a statement the council said: "It's not how we wanted it to be, but having tried to make the planters work, it's time to do something different." The authority is working on a plan to extend the benches to cover the spots where the planters said this work could take some time. The damage was discovered during a general clear up of St George's Street, which runs through the heart of Canterbury.A scrub deck machine was used to clean the pedestrianised area, while a second device was used to remove discarded chewing gum.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Bradford Council urges residents to clear fly-tipped waste
Persistent fly-tipping outside homes is caused by residents in some areas of Bradford and should be cleaned up by them, Bradford Council has was being dumped in some areas by the people living there, rather than people from outside the neighbourhood, council officers told a said that the authority was not obliged to keep clearing up rubbish from back streets that are not public roads and that it did not have the budget to continue doing Riaz Ahmed told the meeting: "In a lot of cases it is the public who has to make a change, not the council." A report by council officers said the repeated clean ups had put "pressure on the service"."The council assesses each site on its own merit and cannot always have a blanket approach to removal of this waste," they case should be investigated to establish any leads, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service."Resident participation in catching perpetrators of waste crime is essential, such as sharing information or assisting in the deployment of cameras," officers Hussain, Bradford East area co-ordinator, told the meeting that litter was "not people coming from outside to dump this waste"."It is sad to say but it is residents," she carrying out litter picks will be given council equipment, she council report said the fly tipping would be investigated and followed up to catch the "perpetrators of waste crime". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Meet the kayaker who's removing Pittsburghers' litter from the Ohio River
On a sunny July morning, Tom Ross of the North Hills gets in his kayak and hits the Ohio River along the city's Chateau neighborhood. His day on the way will undo the damage people are causing. Trash, litter and otherwise discarded stuff are just clumped up along the shorelines. "I think if they really knew what it looked like up close, I think they would be shocked and embarrassed," Ross said. About three times a week, Ross will go along a 2.5-mile section of the river cleaning it up. He is welcomed with scenes of trash every time. "I fill up my kayak as much as I can, and sadly, it's not even very difficult," Ross said. Litter is a problem around the world and the Pittsburgh region is no different. If you look along roadways and waterways, it's there, causing environmental damage and being unsightly. According to state Department of Environmental Protection, there are more than 500 million pieces of litter on just the roads. Ross and his wife spend part of their time in Florida and started their work there. He wondered what the litter situation was at home. "And sure enough, boy, it was way worse than I could have ever imagined," Ross said. Since the summer of 2022, Ross has been working to clean up the river and other waterways. He will find just about anything and everything: tires, barrels, kegs and even traffic cones. The most common item is plastic bottles. He picked up about 130 when KDKA-TV joined him one morning. "There's no slow in the flow. I'm not seeing any improvement. No matter how many bags I collect, I'm not seeing any improvement; it just keeps flowing in," Ross said. He estimates that he's removed more than 18,000 bottles from the Ohio River. To bring the attention of litter to others, he's created social media pages where he documents his efforts and calls on elected leaders for preventative efforts. "We cannot clean our way out of this," Ross said. And it goes beyond those in office. Ross says you don't have to go buy a kayak, but there are things we can all do, like if you see something, throw it out. "You don't have to go crazy with this. Just make a little bit of difference. If we had a lot of people making a little bit of difference, I think it would make a huge difference," Ross said. Up the creek with a lot more than just a paddle is how you will find Ross. You can follow his work on X and Instagram at TommyPicsUpTrash.
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Britain's ‘DIRTIEST beaches' revealed where sand strewn with broken glass & faeces-covered napkins – is yours on list?
BRITAIN'S dirtiest beaches have been revealed, with visitors reporting human faeces and drug paraphernalia strewn across the sand. With the school summer holidays now just around the corner and more hot weather on the way, many families are likely making plans to take a trip to the beach. However, there are some beaches you might want to avoid... Skegness According to plastic waste experts from the dirtiest beach in the UK is Skegness Beach, in Lincolnshire. 4 The popular seaside resort may boast a bustling pier and an exhilarating theme park, but is also has the most amount of Tripadvisor reviews that mention litter. One tourist described the beach as "dirty and run down", whilst another complained that their children were "pulling out cups and straws and items of clothing out of the sand". Shockingly, the most recent review for the beach, posted in June 2025, described seeing "human waste and serviettes covered in faeces." However, many others described it as having "miles and miles of sandy, beautiful beaches" and as being "glorious." Margate Main Sands Margate Main Sands ranks second on the list, with visitors complaining about broken glass, dog poo and rubbish. One reviewer said: " The whole place is a dive! 4 "It seems to be used as the toilet of Kent." Another reviewer fumed: "Filthy, filthy, filthy. Rubbish is everywhere in the sea and on the beach. Glass bottles floating in the sea and used nappies all over the beach." However, many others had a very pleasant experience at the Kent beach, with one person describing it as being a "beautiful and safe beach", and another stating that it has a "brilliant white beach." Formby Beach Formby Beach, known for its sand dunes and diverse wildlife, is third on the list, with visitors describing seeing the sand littered with drug paraphernalia, disposable BBQs and litter. 4 One reviewer said: "The beach was such a disappointment, it was full of house bricks and broken glass and resembled a building site rather than a beach." A second person said: "The problems are multiple. Parking, litter, overcrowding, violence, drink and drugs." The research also found that the cleanest beaches in the UK are Southwold Pier, Sandsend Beach and Horsey beach which all have zero reviews mentioning litter. Graham Matthews, expert at Business Waste said: "Litter on the UK's beaches turns our natural beauty spots into an eyesore and poses a huge environmental threat to marine life. "Each year, as the weather heats up, we see a sharp rise in people flocking to the seaside, but sadly, many don't clean up after themselves. It's common to find food packaging, disposable BBQs, and even human and animal waste scattered across our shores. 'All this unsightly litter ruins the enjoyment of our beaches, but it also threatens local wildlife. 'Beachgoers must take responsibility for the impact of their visit. You should always bin any litter or take it home with you if this isn't possible."
