Waste management

The Banish Rubbish campaign raises public awareness of the cost to the taxpayer and the environment, as well as the dangers, that arise from litter and fly-tipping in Medway. Cigarette butts, drinks bottles and snack food wrappers make up the bulk of the 5,000 tonnes of litter that the council picks up each year at a cost of £2.4million. There are in excess of 2,200 litter and dog bins in Medway, more than any other district in Kent. The bins are strategically placed along 104 miles (167km) of road. The council also provides useful anti-litter measures, like litterbins with ashtrays. These have helped cut the number of cigarette butts dropped but they still represent a problem that can only be stopped with the help of everyone who lives in or visits the area.

The message is simple - clearing litter costs money that could be put to better use and has a negative reflection on the area. The street is your stage, so put on a good performance.

For further information and guidance on tackling fly-tipping, visit the Environment Agency's website, (www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/444304/444641/595811/flytip) or phone the agency on 0800 807060. Contact the council, using the details at the foot of the page, to report fly-tipping and have it investigated by the Environmental Enforcement Team, which collates evidence and enforces prosecutions. The team provides information on containing and disposing of your commercial or domestic waste, so if you have a question, contact the team and avoid a fine.

The Environmental Enforcement Team also works throughout the area and issues £80 fixed penalty fines (reduced to £60 if paid within 10 days of being issued) to people seen littering.

Banish Rubbish complements the council's recycling campaign, promoting the need to recycle and give used items a new lease of life. Recycling is essential to the environment, especially as more than 60 per cent of rubbish can be recycled. Medway Council has many ways to help people recycle from home or while you are out and about.

Personal pocket ashtrays

Pocket ashtrays offer a practical solution to disposing of cigarette ends. They are reusable, discreet and provide a solution for litter when a smoker is not near a litter bin. They can be bought from Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS), the Keep Britain Tidy campaign at: www.encams.org/campaigns/main.asp?pageid=125&sub=25.

Advertising

Advertising for the campaign has been on billboards, buses, high street banners and in magazines and newspapers. Education is an aspect of the campaign addressed through posters and delivered via a newsletter created and distributed by Waste Services to all schools in the area, along with the Eco-Schools Scheme.

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