Members of the public are being urged to dispose of their litter and instant barbecues properly this summer as people head out to enjoy the sunshine.
Litter Enforcement Officers have been working with Chichester District Council’s Environmental Protection Team to tackle littering and dog fouling offences across the district.
“Since lockdown restrictions began to be relaxed a few weeks ago, we’ve seen a huge increase in the amount of litter being left behind when people leave our parks, beaches and beauty spots, as well as an increase in roadside litter, particularly fast food packaging,” says Councillor Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for Environment and Chichester Contract Services at Chichester District Council. “We know that the majority of people are responsible and many people have been in touch to say how upset they have been to see the amount of litter being left. I want to reassure residents that our teams are working as hard as they can to clear this litter, and our litter enforcement officers are focussing on hotspots and busy areas to assist with this, but the public also have a crucial role to play.
“I would really urge everyone to think before they leave at the end of their visit. Please dispose of your rubbish properly or if bins are full then take your litter home with you and recycle as much of it as possible, and encourage others to do the same – do not leave it behind to ruin our beaches and countryside. What we have been seeing recently is completely unacceptable. Please remember that dropping litter is a crime and if caught, people will be given an on the spot fine of £100.”
Disposable barbecues have also become an issue, with scorch marks found in the grass of public parks and spaces where people have put them directly on the grass. There have also been instances of barbecues being buried in the sand and shingle on the district’s beaches and then left, or people simply leaving them while they are still hot which poses a serious danger to other beach users, particularly young children and animals.
People can find out more about the council’s #AgainstLitter campaign and the work of the Litter Enforcement Officers at www.chichester.gov.uk/againstlitter
