Litter is usually something we don't want anymore: we don't drop many £5 notes, but who wants a crisp bag once all of the crisps have been eaten?
Litter has many definitions, however, here are two official ones:
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waste in the wrong place caused by human agency (Encams definition)
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anything dropped, thrown, deposited or left so as to cause defacement in a public place (Environmental Protection Act 1990)
What does this mean?
Litter is in the ‘wrong place’ if it isn’t in the bin or a pocket or bag to take it home. Things dropped on the ground, left behind on seats, stuffed into cracks in walls, thrown over fences and into the road are all litter.
‘Human agency’ means caused by the actions of people like us. Leaves falling from a tree or branches left by a flooding river would not be classed as litter because they are natural events. However rubbish blowing about in the wind is litter because it should have been disposed of properly by being tied up in bags or put in bins with secure lids. Also a pile of hedge clippings left in a lay-by is litter because it has not occurred naturally.
‘Defacement in a public place’ is part of the legal definition and means spoiling the appearance of a public place. This might be caused by something as small as a piece of chewing gum or a cigarette butt, or as large as a carrier bag. It is not a legal offence to drop litter in your own home, but it is a bad habit to get into because you might do the same thing in a public place like a street or park and then get fined.
Types of litter
There are many different categories of litter – here are some of the most common ones:
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Smoking-related litter e.g. cigarette ends, matches, matchboxes, lighters, cigarette packaging and cellophane
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Confectionary-related litter e.g. sweet wrappers, crisp bags, lolly sticks
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Drinks-related litter e.g. cans, plastic and glass bottles, straws, lids, polystyrene cups, cartons and pouches
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Fast food packaging e.g. fish and chip wrappers, pizza boxes, burger packaging, foil and polystyrene trays, plastic cutlery
Litter can be as small as a sweet paper or piece of chewing gum or as big as a bag of rubbish; it can be one item or lots of things scattered around.