Fighting Litter Around the UK: Chichester District Council, England

Fighting Litter Around the UK: Chichester District Council, England

Chichester District Council asked resident about what they were most concerned about and it emerged that the people who live and work in the cathedral city in West Sussex are most concerned about littering, fly tipping and dog fouling.

In response, the council introduced its Against Litter campaign aimed at bringing residents, businesses, and communities together in the fight against litter.

The focus of the campaign is on urging people to become litter aware, take pride in their area, and take positive action.

The council spends over £1 million on cleaning up litter, fly-tipping, and dog fouling and it believes that this is money that could be far better spent on important services.

Campaign initiatives

As part of the campaign, the council:

• Encouraged people to report fly-tipping and litter hot spots
• Introduced a trial partnership project where enforcement officers from East Hampshire District patrol the streets and take action against anyone caught littering or allowing their dog to foul and not clearing it up
• Will be inviting community groups and businesses to ‘Adopt an Area’ and take pride in it
• Will be celebrating the work of community heroes who clean up litter in the city
• Introduced an environmental crime watch initiative in partnership with Trading Standards, the police, and the fire service. It will take action against people who fly tip and will be placing cameras at hot spots to catch perpetrators in the act
• Will be giving advice to commercial drivers, advising them to securely fasten loads so they don’t fall onto the roads and cause accidents, and they’ll also be encouraging tradespeople to make sure they are registered as waste carriers

How can residents take part in the campaign?

They can sign up and receive news and updates about what’s happening

They can contact the council to report dog fouling, littering, or fly tipping

They can sign up to the ‘Adopt an Area’ scheme or become a community hero and host their own clean up events

They can make sure that any waste is disposed of safely and correctly (especially DIY/construction waste)

The Green Dog Walkers® scheme

The council is also part of the national community-led Green Dog Walkers® scheme, an initiative aimed at reducing dog fouling and encouraging responsible dog ownership. Over 40 councils across the UK take part in the scheme and it’s had great results in changing attitudes among dog owners.

Most dog owners are responsible, but the scheme is a reminder to those who aren’t so responsible that they need to clean up after their dog and keep them under control in public places.

Dog owners who sign up to the scheme sign a pledge to say that they:

• Will always clean up after their dog
• Will dispose of the waste responsibly
• Will give a bag to someone who doesn’t have one
• Will act as a friendly reminder to others that they should clean up after their dogs. They also agree to talk to other dog owners about fouling in a friendly and courteous way, and never be confrontational
• Will encourage people who walk their dog for them to clean up after it
• Will wear their Green Dog Walkers® badge whenever possible when out with their dog
• Will always keep their dog close by or within easy recall and be aware of the wildlife that may be around. Where there is livestock, dogs are always to be kept on a lead
• Will obey the advice on signage to avoid disturbing plants, animals, and children

Participants then get an enamel Green Dog Walkers® badge to display on their coat or dog lead, a car window sticker, and a leaflet about the campaign.

The idea is that Green Dog Walkers® are role models for dog owners everywhere. Not only do they always clean up after their pets, they make sure their dog is microchipped, keep it under control at all times, and make sure they’re being responsible and safe when they are around other animals and birds.

To find out more about Chichester Council’s litter campaign or the Green Dog Walkers® scheme, click here.

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