A decade-long study by an environmental charity has exposed the extent of England's litter 'crisis', with more than 90% of surveyed sites found to contain rubbish.
The research by Keep Britain Tidy highlights the disproportionate impact of the problem on the most deprived areas, where there was almost three times as much litter as in the least deprived places.
In a survey by the charity, 77% of respondents said England’s litter problem had got worse in recent years.
People also reported that they would be embarrassed to live in a heavily littered area, and that it would make them feel less safe and negatively impact their mental health.
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton, said: ‘We believe that everyone, wherever they live, should be able to take pride in their environment – but we cannot achieve this alone.
‘We need a national strategy with robust targets and monitoring, clear focus and adequate resourcing.?
‘We’re calling on the Government, industry and individuals to work together with us to create a future where litter-free spaces are the norm, rather than the exception.’
