Littering targeted in national strategy

Highland Council backs government aims

Research into what influences fly-tippers and littering has been backed by Highland Council’s communities and place committee members.

Responding to a consultation by the Scottish Government on a national strategy, the members also supported a national anti-littering campaign to try to change people’s behaviour.

The National Litter and Flytipping Strategy would see the Scottish Government working with local authorities to target areas where more work was needed to stop littering, with support for community-led voluntary litter picks.

Highland Council’s response prioritises changing behaviour around fast food and drinks outlets to stop littering, nighttime economy litter, school litter, roadside littering, and tourism litter.

The chairman of the Communities and Place

Committee, Caol and Mallaig Ward Councillor Allan Henderson, said: ‘We do care immensely about litter and fly-tipping in our beautiful Highland region.

‘The Highland Council does respond well to incidences of littering and fly-tipping where notified.

‘The response to the government highlights where the council has responded particularly well in providing a seasonally enhanced service - Ranger Service, waste employees, additional litter bins - that reflects the significant impact of visitor numbers in the Highland area.

‘The service has also employed route optimisation software; improved litter bin management through the provision of Recycling on the Go litter bins; and better opportunity for collaboration through using remote meeting technology.’

The council has also said it supports work by Keep Scotland Beautiful and Zero Waste Scotland, where there is existing positive contact in Highland with community groups supporting volunteer litter picks.

Advice, information and support that the council thinks should be included in a national litter hub are litter prevention material; contacts for supporting community clean-up initiatives such as health and safety information; and information on the government’s proposed ‘Citizen science guide’.

Highland Council has also said it supports exploring raising fixed penalty amounts to ensure they are an appropriate deterrent.

It also backs exploring alternative penalties, particularly examples that have been successful in other countries, but would have concern over the practicalities, appropriateness and administration of options such as enforced litter picks or education courses for offenders.