Beauty spot litter that’s 20 years old
LYING on the forest floor, they look like the leftovers of a picnic.
In fact, it would have been a picnic from at least 20 years ago. The packets of Walker’s crisps date back to the 1990s – providing what clean-up campaigners say is damning evidence of the lasting effects of plastic litter on the countryside
They were collected, along with bags of glass bottles, cartons and plastic bottles in just 20 minutes in a litter ‘hot spot’ in the Forest of Dean.
The packs of Worcester Sauce and Prawn Cocktail flavour crisps feature a ‘Royal Mint Scoop’ promotion run by Walker’s in 1993 and 1994. Campaigners say it is likely there are many older plastic packets, bags and bottles dumped by country roads.
The issue of litter has risen to the top of the political and social agenda this year, not least because of the big clean up that was organised at part of the celebrations around the Queen’s 90th birthday.
The Government has indicated it will double the fines for littering to £150. However, campaigners say a cultural shift that demonises litter dropping is needed.
The items were found by artists Louise McCurdy and Chloe Hanks, whose work is heavily involved in highlighting litter blight. Miss McCurdy said: ‘It was just so easy to find these collections of litter. It shows how plastic persists in the environment. There was just so much of it.’
The biggest problem in rural areas is roadside litter, such as along the A48 in the Forest of Dean. A pilot scheme called ‘Love Your Forest’ focusing on fighting litter in rural areas is launching today in Coleford, in the Forest of Dean.