Council plans new shock litter tactics: Dump it in school playgrounds
Siew Peng Lee • Published 11 Nov 2011 08:50
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On 17th October alone, West area street-cleaning teams collected 27 vehicle loads, or a whopping 11.67 tonnes, of litter, leaves, fly-tipped waste and litter bin contents.
FIFE Council is looking at shocking and shaming pupils who litter - by dumping a load of rubbish in school playgrounds.
And that's not all as fixed penalty fines and supervised community cleanups could also be in store for young litterbugs.
As part of its 'Sweeping Changes' street cleaning programme, the council's transportation and environmental service is working with Fife's high schools to come up with a way to highlight the amount of litter dropped around schools at lunchtime.
Litter has to be cleared every day during term time and the local authority is now looking at running a campaign to address the problem.
Martin Kingham, transportation and environmental services team leader (operations), said, "One way would be to collect a week's worth of litter that is dropped by the pupils to and from the vans/ shops at lunchtimes, and from that, with agreement from the headteachers, dump this off in the playgrounds for the pupils to see just what the impact the litter they drop is having on the community."
In West Fife, the service has to date approached Dunfermline, St Columba's and Inverkeithing high schools to work on a pilot to raise awareness of littering, although Mr Kingham said this was in the "early stages".
He continued, "We're exploring the issue of fixed penalties which we currently issue to adults but we have not issued any as yet to minors.
"There's the option of a supervised community clean-up and there may be an opportunity there to basically alter behaviour, where kids actually see the consequences of their actions on the community.
"It could potentially be held on a Saturday morning instead of parents having to pay a fine.
"The other thing we are looking at is the businesses. We want to approach them and see if they can help the community, perhaps through sponsoring litter bins and the like."
Mr Kingham underlined the severity of the problem around schools, saying, "Our teams have to go in immediately after recess is over to clean up all the litter blowing about the streets."
Fife Council released a snapshot recently of the amount of waste collected in West Fife in a day (pictured).
On 17th October alone, West area street-cleaning teams collected 27 vehicle loads, or a whopping 11.67 tonnes, of litter, leaves, fly-tipped waste and litter bin contents.
A further 21.68 tonnes were picked up by six mechanical sweepers operating on the same day.
Inverkeithing High head teacher Iain Yuile said all schools were pro-actively trying to address the problem.
Asked if the suggested measures would do the job, Mr Yuile said, "I can't comment on things that have not been agreed but we're definitely wanting to do as much as we can to minimise the amount of litter in the community.
"We're happy to be involved and certainly want to look at measures that will help reduce that."
He acknowledged that there was "a degree of littering" in Inverkeithing High Street and around local shops that opened at lunchtime.
He added, "We all do a lot of things to try and stop it. We have assemblies and within eco-schools we try to stop pupils littering.
"We'll work with environmental services to try and improve the situation - every school in the whole country has similar issues.
"It's not unique to any one of us, and the schools are all very supportive to try and minimise it."
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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davie1
26 posts
Nov 11, 12:45
Report commentTypical bully boy tactics from our profligate cooncil - they cant / wont clear your snow either. However if you miss even one cooncil tax payment you are for it OK!
Recommend?
Yes 6
No 28
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kaka30
309 posts
Nov 11, 15:26
Report commentAny initiative that educates our young people on enviromental issues can only be good.
Any person who just discards of litter at their feet, has no respect for their surroundings, their neighbours or indeed themselves.
Recommend? Yes 28
No 2
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bicyclebob
159 posts
Nov 11, 16:18
Report comment -
Blackadder
257 posts
Nov 11, 16:51
Report commentSadly kaka30 is right. Litter dropping is just the thin end of the wedge of the lack of respect for the environment that some people hold. Fife council have got enough to pay for without picking up after lazy, ignoramuses who can't walk 10 yards to a bin.
The issue of litter dropping is already taught in primary schools and many have a "litter squad" to collect litter within the school perimeter. You have to laugh though that people need litter awareness lessons, surely at home a child is told from an early age not to drop litter and to place it in a bin. Aren't they?
Recommend? Yes 25
No 2
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NotHappyJan
192 posts
Nov 13, 21:08
Report commentWhat a heap of nonsense. We pay council tax to have litter cleaned up. There is no excuse for the stupid council to be thinking about this. Surely if you pay your tax for the service you are entitled to drop the occasional bit of litter! Its getting to be a bit ridiculous.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 24
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******
Nov 13, 23:13
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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376 posts
Nov 14, 10:24
Report commentWhatever == has happened == to joesbro?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 4
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Blackadder
257 posts
Nov 14, 13:48
Report commentNo jan it's not all right. the council cannot afford this luxury. You spout enough rubbish without dropping it on the floor too.
Recommend? Yes 20
No 3
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******
Nov 14, 20:20
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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******
Nov 15, 20:59
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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Blackadder
257 posts
Nov 15, 22:27
Report commentUnless you are Bubbles Deville, and therefore do not wear clothes, it is not alright to drop rubbish on the floor. Put your McDonald's wrapper in the bin provided.
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
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ROBROY
35 posts
Nov 16, 10:05
Report commentWHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH! This proposed action assumes, that only those attending schools drop rubbish. Are we to wake up one morning, to find piles of rubbish outside of our doors?
McDonalds used to send out their staff to clear up all of their identifiable rubbish in the hight streets. A sensible proposal would be, that offenders be identified and made to clear up ALL the rubbish in the high street for a fixed period. Why should it be ASSUMED, that all school attenders are the only ones responsible?
In the RN, anybody dropping fag ends into the toilets, were put on 'fag end' watch until they identified somebody else doing it and they then took over 'fag end' watch. Yes, there are much smarter ways of getting the message over. This broad brush approach is to compensate for the lack of positive imagination.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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kaka30
309 posts
Nov 16, 15:26
Report commentROBROY,
I dont think anybody is making the assumption that its just school pupils who drop litter but im sure you would agree that if you educate the young when their young, there is less chance of anti social behaviour when they become adults.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 0
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NotHappyJan
192 posts
Nov 16, 19:53
Report commentI thinks its alright to drop your rubbish where ever you like, so I do!
Recommend? Yes 0
No 10
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Ben Dover
13 posts
Nov 17, 14:56
Report commentName and shame the rats - put mug-shots of all those caught littering in the Press every week. That'll soon sort them out!
Recommend? Yes 9
No 0
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cameronsdemise
33 posts
Dec 5, 06:51
Report commentI would adopt a mass school/ street clean up by Pupils prior to closing for the weekend, say 2pm Friday for 2 hrs . All pupils who attend said school are mustered at 13.50 on Fridays and marched to inver / rosyth / dunfermline high streets armed with black placcy bags and made clean up the mess left behind by their freinds and themselves , prefects, not exempted ! but must report those not " Puting their back's into the task in hand " ( "TEACHING" Responsibility of authority ) given a couple of months of this treatment could possibly induce change of attitude in the younger generation . Oh ! Before I forget , If they Don't Comply then a 2 / 3 wk stint at Boot camp in GLEN COE ( Winter Only ) or Maybe RANNOCH MOORE !!KICK ASS !
Recommend? Yes 0
No 1
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