The Big Ballot Bin ™ throws leisure sector a playful alternative

An innovative bin, that went viral when it was trialled in 2023, launches today by environmental charity Hubbub. The Big Ballot Bin™ will help venues transform litter management into a playful and shareable experience by inviting people to vote with their rubbish. This bold new approach to litter prevention not only got the nation talking when it was trialled in partnership with KFC, but it slashed litter by 70%.

Whether the question is Who should have won? Traitors or Faithfuls, or who will get Christmas number 1 “K-Pop Demon Hunters or Wham?” these bins capture attention and spark conversation, while quietly delivering massive cuts to waste and clean-up costs.

Crucially, the Big Ballot Bin™ is designed as a customisable brand asset. Operators can integrate the bin into their guest experience by adding branding, bespoke colours, and campaign messaging, to turn litter collection into a marketing tool that strengthens their brand experience.

Litter costs the UK over £1 billion a year to clean up*, and it’s one of the most visible indicators of poor visitor experience. Traditional methods are failing to tackle it.

Alex Robinson, CEO at Hubbub, said: “The Big Ballot Bin™ shows what happens when you make the right choice the fun choice. Traditional enforcement often fails to change behaviour, but when you invite people to take part in something playful and topical, littering drops dramatically. We’ve seen how curiosity, conversation and competition can transform a simple act like binning rubbish into a moment people enjoy and remember. For venues and destinations, it’s proof that positive engagement can deliver real environmental impact.”

Behind the fun exterior sits smart technology. Each bin comes equipped with a remote tracking system that allows operators to monitor the vote count and collect valuable data for ESG and CSR reporting. The plug-and-play design ensures reliability both indoors and outdoors, while a 240-litre capacity makes it ideal for busy shopping centres, theme parks and stadiums.

The Big Ballot Bin™ has been trialled successfully on UK high streets through an eight-week pilot with KFC, Manchester City Council and Southampton City Council. The results showed that litter was dramatically reduced within 20 metres of each bin, with drinks litter down 70% and food litter down 60%, while the bin’s capture radius was 2.5 times larger than standard bins.

The pilot also got people talking and sharing the bins on social media, reaching 10 million people organically**. According to Manchester City Council, “people were actively seeking them out”.

Hubbub is now inviting organisations across the leisure, hospitality, and attractions sectors to become early adopters. Partners will benefit from preferential pricing and access to a full support package, including full creative customisation (branding, colours, and messaging), access to the smart tracker, and communications collaboration.

Alex added: “When we first trialled the Big Ballot Bin™, we were blown away by how much attention they received – they really got people talking and we had fun creating voting options that tapped into current trends and discussions. We’re thrilled to now bring this product to market and we look forward seeing our future customers create memorable experiences for visitors and be part of a nationwide movement to tackle litter in smarter ways.”

This innovation builds on the success of Hubbub’s original Ballot Bin™, the world’s first voting ashtray launched in 2015. Now found in over 5,000 locations across 43 countries, the Ballot Bin™ has collected more than 15 million cigarette butts and won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. The Big Ballot Bin™ takes these proven principles and scales them up for general litter – delivering the same mix of visibility, fun and effectiveness.

To find out more about the Big Ballot Bin™ or to pre-order a bin, visit www.ballotbin.co.uk

Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy today launches Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight, a national campaign urging the public to protect themselves and their communities from waste criminals, who lure people in with cheap rubbish removal deals on social media, only to illegally dump household waste in our streets, fields and public spaces.

New consumer research reveals that households are unknowingly fuelling the problem by failing to carry out basic checks when hiring someone to collect their rubbish.

According to the YouGov survey, less than half of respondents (46%) were aware they should check for a licence when hiring someone to take away rubbish and of those who were aware, only 13% have ever done so. Almost half (42%) of those who considered hiring someone to remove waste said they simply ‘trusted’ an operator based on their advert, while 19% said they used someone because they were recommended without checking their credentials

Meanwhile, the problem of fly-tipping is escalating rapidly. According to new research carried out by the charity with local authorities, almost three quarters (70%) say fly-tipping is now a ‘major problem’, more than half (56%) report that the issue has grown in the past year and a staggering 40% of fly-tips are now reported to be left by rogue traders rather than individuals.

Nationally, more than 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents were reported in 2023-24 by councils. With estimated costs to landowners and council tax-payers ranging from £100 million to £150 million for clearance and investigation, fly-tipping diverts significant funds away from vital services like schools, social care and parks.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight campaign aims to educate people about how to avoid falling for a #RubbishDeal. Featuring real-life CCTV footage supplied by local authorities, the campaign exposes rogue ‘house clearance’ merchants being caught in the act of dumping large quantities of household rubbish in fields, alleyways and lay-bys.

Keep Britain Tidy is urging anyone getting rid of stuff they no longer want to take three simple steps to avoid falling for a #RubbishDeal that leaves them, their community and their council paying the price.

Ask for a waste carrier registration number
Check it on the Environment Agency’s public register at (visit https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers or call 0300 065 3000)
Check you’ll get a receipt

Dr. Anna Scott, Director of Services at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Fly-tipping is a #RubbishDeal for all of us. For the public, for councils, for communities and for the environment. That cheap deal on Facebook or WhatsApp may look like a bargain, but it’s a false economy and it’s you and your community that end up paying the price.

“Fly-tipping isn’t just unsightly, it’s often linked to organised criminal networks making millions of pounds by exploiting gaps in enforcement and undercutting legitimate businesses. It’s a serious criminal offence, and we all have a part to play in stopping it. People need to know that they are responsible for what happens to their own waste, even if they’ve hired someone else to take it away. By doing simple checks and getting a receipt, people can protect themselves, protect their neighbourhoods and ensure public money does not have to spent on clearing up after criminals.”

Further findings of the consumer poll include:

Worsening community impact: More than a third of people (38%) say fly-tipping has increased in the past year and 61% say they feel angry when they see people’s old stuff dumped in their local area
Out of sight, out of mind. Only 1 in 3 (34%) would ask for a receipt or proof of the service when paying someone to remove their rubbish, and less than a quarter (23%) would check where items will be taken and how they will be disposed of.
Confusion over legal ‘duty of care’: Almost half of households (47%) believe the person they hired is responsible if rubbish is dumped illegally, while only one in five (19%) correctly understand that they remain legally responsible as the owner of the items.
Strong support for solutions: 86% of people said they would back schemes requiring retailers to collect old bulky items like sofas or mattresses when delivering new ones, helping to cut fly-tipping at the source.

Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight will run nationwide from 10^th– 23rd November, with local authorities across the country joining forces with Keep Britain Tidy to shine a spotlight on waste crime and share practical advice to help consumers avoid a #RubbishDeal.

To find out more, visit www.keepbritaintidy.org/fight-fly-tipping

Love Where You Live Heckmondwike campaign urges local dog owners to tackle hotspots and keep the town clean, green and proud

Local people in Heckmondwike have spoken out about the problem of dog poo blighting their streets and parks ahead of an activation by Keep Britain Tidy. The Love Where You Live Heckmondwike campaign is calling on dog owners to sign the Poo Promise, a pledge to always pick up after their pets, helping to tackle local hotspots and restore pride in the town.

With one in three residents (35%) saying unbagged dog poo is a problem in their area, and more than a quarter (27%) also concerned about bagged poo being left behind, the scale of the problem is clear. Keep Britain Tidy has identified the town’s hotspots for the issue, which includes places near schools and recreation grounds – where children, families and vulnerable residents should feel safe.

Heckmondwike resident, Sue, said, “I often see dog poo on the Greenway, or just the bags that people have discarded in the hedgerows or on the footpath. It’s SO lazy and unnecessary”. Fellow local, Anna added, “I see it on every walk, unfortunately. There is no excuse to not pick it up, or to pick it up and throw the bag where it does not belong. It’s not only a nuisance, it is a health risk to humans, wildlife and pets”.

Despite being unpleasant and antisocial, myths persist and some believe that leaving dog poo is ok if it’s out of the way of a public path or that it can be good for the ecosystem and that it washes away in the rain. However, the reality is that it lingers, contaminates soil, pollutes waterways and can spread harmful diseases among humans and wildlife.

Every day in the UK, more than 13.5 million dogs produce at least 1,500 tonnes of waste. Left behind, this waste poses real health risks, including toxocariasis, which can cause serious illness and, in rare cases, blindness.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Love Where You Live Heckmondwike is about restoring local pride. Together, our small actions can make a big impact. We want everyone to feel proud to live here, and dog owners can play their part simply by picking up after their pets. The message is simple: there’s no excuse for leaving dog poo behind. We want to make Heckmondwike’s streets and green spaces clean, safe and welcoming for everyone. We’re reminding dog owners, there’s no such thing as the poo fairy, and asking them to sign our Poo Promise to pick up after their pups.”

By signing the Poo Promise, dog owners are showing they care about their neighbours, their community and the places everyone in Heckmondwike shares. The promise can be signed online at: keepbritaintidy.org/poopromise

New Oceana UK report shows half of UK’s top ten fish stocks are critically low, being overexploited, or both.
One in six of all UK stocks are in a critical condition yet still being fished beyond safe limits, risking their total collapse.
Oceana UK calls for the government to put in place a strategy to end overfishing, including a legally binding deadline and catch limits that will rebuild fish populations.

Oceana UK warns today that the government’s failure to follow the science on catch limits and set a clear plan to end overfishing has pushed many of the UK’s most important fish populations towards collapse.

In one of the most comprehensive analyses of fish stocks since Brexit, Oceana UK’s Deep Decline report reveals that half of the ‘top 10’ commercial fish stocks on which UK fishers rely ^[1] – including North Sea cod, North Sea herring, North East Atlantic mackerel and Southern North Sea edible crab – are in a critical condition, currently being overexploited, or both.

North Sea cod was found to be critically low yet still being overexploited. Last month, the international body providing scientific evidence for fish catch regulation – the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) – advised that the state of crisis is such that zero catch is needed to safeguard the future of the cod fishery.

Despite repeated warnings from scientists, ministers continue to set ‘total allowable catches’ for many stocks above sustainable levels, risking the collapse of these populations and threatening the livelihoods of coastal communities and the health of UK seas.

Key findings from Oceana UK’s new report

– Half of the UK’s ‘top ten’ fish stocks are in a critical state, being overexploited, or both.

– One sixth of all UK commercial stocks are critically depleted yet continue to be overexploited, putting them in imminent danger of collapse.

– Over a quarter of all UK commercial stocks are critically low, and a quarter are currently being overexploited.

– Scientific advice ignored: Catch limits for many stocks, including all five worst-performing populations, exceeded safe catch levels in 2025.

Oceana UK’s report examined the UK’s commercial fish stocks and found that only 41% are confirmed to be in a healthy state. Over a quarter (27%) are critically low, while 25% are currently being overexploited. Alarmingly, around one in six stocks are both critically low yet still being overexploited – like North Sea cod – putting them on a trajectory towards collapse and threatening livelihoods in fishing communities along with the UK’s internationally important marine wildlife.

Hugo Tagholm, Executive Director of Oceana UK, said:

“Overfishing is not an unavoidable tragedy – it is a political choice. Ministers ignore the science time and time again and our seas are paying the price. Five years after becoming an independent coastal state, the UK seems to have accepted a state of relentless decline. Where is the legal accountability for this failure?

We urgently need a plan to end overfishing, one that follows the science and puts our seas on a long-term path to recovery – ensuring a new generation of coastal prosperity. But this requires leadership. Ministers must act now to redefine the future of fishing, so that those that fish in harmony with nature are prioritised over those that devastate our seabed and empty our seas.”

The report also shows that recovery is possible when political decisions follow the science. The UK’s best-performing stocks — including West of Scotland haddock, Western Channel sole and North Sea plaice — have remained healthy and sustainably fished since 2020, in large part thanks to catch limits set in line with scientific advice. These cases prove that sustainable management benefits both the environment and the economy.

In stark contrast, catch limits for three of the five worst-performing stocks have been set above scientific advice for five consecutive years. Not once since the current ‘total allowable catch’ system began have even half of UK catch limits been aligned with scientific advice, according to the UK Government’s own fisheries advisers.

Professor Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation at the University of Exeter, said: “These results highlight the gross mismanagement of the UK’s greatest natural asset – its seas. The government has the best fisheries science at its fingertips, and even when data are scarce, the course to restoration is clear. Our seas are already at risk from oil, sewage and agri-chemical pollution; habitat destruction; and the climate crisis. We need to move away from brute extraction, regardless of collateral damage and set a new course to make fishing fair, evidence-based and above all sustainable, so that it works within nature’s limits.”

Clive Mills, Sussex fisherman, said: “We don’t have another 10 years, I promise you that now. I have seen it since I was a young lad out on the boats, I’m now 66, and I can tell you we are on the edge of a precipice. We’re taking too much, too fast. If fishermen are going to be true to themselves, we’ve got to stop. Fifty years ago, when they brought in fish quotas, we asked ‘what are those for?’. To protect the future of fishing, we were told. And we all thought, that would be good, we need a future for fishing. But we haven’t stayed that course, and now here we are. It’s got to stop.”

Edward Baker, CEO Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association said: “We need healthy seas to have a healthy fishing industry, and recognition by government of the need for prioritised fishing opportunities for sustainable local fisheries. If the science says slow down, we should listen — because without fish, there’s no future for our boats or our communities. But we need government to support the industry, if changes are needed to allow stocks to recover then fishermen need support from government to ensure their livelihoods (either via diversification or other means) so that we still have fishermen to provide for the UK’s food security.”

The report also highlights severe regional disparities. The Irish Sea is the worst affected, with overfished stocks rising from 27% in 2020 to 41% today, while the Celtic Sea faces similar risks, with one-third of stocks overfished to critically low population sizes, and many more overexploited. In fact, the 2024 quota for Celtic Sea cod actually exceeded the estimated number of adult fish left.

In contrast, the West of Scotland remains the healthiest region, with 62% of stocks assessed as healthy and only 12% overfished.

The UK has no overarching recovery plan or legally binding timeframe to end overfishing. Oceana UK is urging the UK Government and devolved administrations to:

1) Urgently deliver a strategy to end overfishing by the end of 2026.

2) Put in place a legal deadline to rebuild fish stocks that holds government accountable.

3) Set all catch limits in line with the science by the end of 2025.

4) Publish an annual Parliament-scrutinised audit.

5) Ensure a fair deal for fishers needing support to adjust to lower catch limits and sustainable practices.

Oceana is also encouraging the public to join the fight to end overfishing and write to the Prime Minister, Environment Secretary, and their local MPs demanding that the government follows scientific advice on catch limits and introduces a legally binding deadline to end overfishing.

Oceana UK is a non-profit organisation focused on protecting and restoring UK seas.

^[1] Top 10 stocks calculated by volume of landings.

£100k grant helps launch new digital inclusion network and boost community donations

An Oxfordshire charity has rehomed more than 1,400 refurbished devices to people who need them, despite being hit by severe flooding late last year.

SOFEA, based in Didcot, was awarded a £100,000 grant from the Time After Time fund, created by Virgin Media O2 and environmental charity, Hubbub, to give unwanted tech a second life and tackle digital exclusion.

Working with partners Aspire and Bicester Green, SOFEA received more than 2,200 donated devices, with more than half (56%) coming directly from Oxfordshire residents. The rest came from businesses and public sector bodies, including Oxfordshire County Council, Instron, Pharmagenesis and FareShare. After securely data wiping, repair and safety checks, more than 1,400 devices were redistributed with people who need them.

The funding has also enabled SOFEA to launch a new digital inclusion network, designed to coordinate digital support and share resources across communities in Oxfordshire. Through regular meetings and newsletters, local organisations are working together to understand where there are requirements that aren’t being met and collaborating to support those who need it.

Ben Tuppen, Getting Oxfordshire Online Project Manager at SOFEA, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in challenging circumstances. Thanks to local donations and support, we’ve been able to help people across Oxfordshire get connected and build vital digital skills. Now we’re calling on even more residents and businesses to dig out their old devices and to take them to any of our donation points across the county so we can give them a second life.”

SOFEA has now settled back into its main base in Didcot and opened a new device repair space, inviting locals to donate working, unused IT equipment.

Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-Founder of Hubbub, said: “SOFEA’s story shows the power of community action. By repairing and redistributing old devices, they’ve not only kept working tech in use for longer but also given people the tools they need to get online and stay connected. It’s striking two birds with one phone!”

Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, added: “SOFEA has shown incredible resilience, turning old devices into vital lifelines for people across Oxfordshire. We’re proud to support their work through Virgin Media O2’s Time After Time fund, which is tackling e-waste and helping connect people across the county.”

The Time After Time Fund was set up in 2022 by Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub in response to the UK’s e-waste crisis which sees the country producing more electrical waste per person than any other country in the world (except for Norway)¹. The fund forms part of Virgin Media O2’s sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan, and is helping the company achieve its goals of supporting people to carry out 10 million ‘circular actions’ to tackle e-waste, and to connect 1 million digitally excluded people across the UK through free and affordable connectivity and services by the end of 2025. To date, £1 million has been distributed across community projects nationwide, supporting digital inclusion while helping the environment. For more information, click here.

Keep Britain Tidy’s latest initiative sees 41% drop in littering behaviour

Have you ever left a newspaper on a public bench or an empty coffee cup at a bus stop? According to new research by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, more than one in four people (26%) in Heckmondwike admit to this behaviour – known as ‘careful littering’. But the message is simple: It’s still littering.

Now, as part of the Love Where You Live Heckmondwike campaign – a community-led effort to tackle litter and restore local pride – Keep Britain Tidy is challenging residents to rethink what littering looks like. And already, a 41% reduction in littering in areas running the ‘still littering’ behavior change intervention has been recorded in Heckmondwike since the campaign began.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “You might think you’re doing the right thing or think it’s harmless to leave a bit of packaging neatly on a ledge or bench – after all you didn’t throw it on the ground. But it’s littering all the same and the damage is real.

“Litter not only wrecks the environment, but it also undermines our sense of pride, affects our mental wellbeing, makes us all feel unsafe and lowers property values. With Love Where You Live Heckmondwike and the effective initiatives across the town, we’re seeing that by working together, small changes in behaviour can make a big difference to everyone. Let’s keep that momentum going, don’t place litter anywhere and love where you live.”

A community on a mission

A recent local survey found more than a third (37%*) of Heckmondwike residents do not feel proud to live in the area, and national research by Keep Britain Tidy has shown that living in a heavily littered area can have a negative impact on our mental health*.

But there’s hope. Nearly half (44%) agree that people in the area are willing to work together to make a difference to the way the areas looks. Throughout the campaign, Heckmondwike will see:

School-led clean-up events
Litter-picking days
Business partnerships to keep public areas clean
Tackling of persistent problems such as dog mess, fly-tipping, and cigarette litter

The campaign is a pilot for best-practice litter reduction, with findings intended to shape recommendations for litter reduction efforts across the UK.

Litter reductions as a result of the interventions placed in Heckmondwike are being closely monitored by Kirklees Council, who are working closely with Keep Britain Tidy on the project.

Councillor Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet Member for Communities and Environment at Kirklees Council said:“Unfortunately littering has become a real issue in our communities and changing people’s behaviour about this is a really important part of our wider ambition to have a cleaner and greener Kirklees for everyone. Through our partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, this project in Heckmondwike aims to highlight how even the smallest and unintentional actions can still count as littering. By changing people’s behaviour about littering, we can have cleaner towns and greenspaces to enjoy for longer.”

Love Where You Live Heckmondwike is part of the Litter Pact project by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, with support from Kirklees Council, and leading food and drinks brands Coca-Cola, KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s and Nestlé with the aim of investing in research and programmes to reduce litter. The campaign is being closely watched as a test model for broader adoption across the UK.

• MP Kim Leadbeater presents cheque to Rainbow Baby Bank in Heckmondwike
• Residents raise funds by binning litter as part of Keep Britain Tidy initiative

The simple act of binning litter in Heckmondwike’s Market Square has raised £500 for a vital local baby charity, and it’s just the start of a community-wide campaign from Keep Britain Tidy bringing pride back to the town centre.

Part of the wider Love Where You Live: Heckmondwike initiative, which is inviting residents and businesses to reconnect with their community and play a part in making their environment cleaner, greener and more cared for, Bin it For Good sees good causes rewarded for local people’s responsible litter disposal. The first month of the campaign has seen an incredible 52% reduction in litter on the ground.

The more rubbish correctly disposed of in Market Square’s new smart bins, the higher the donation to a local charity — up to £500 per month. Rainbow Baby Bank is the first of three much-loved local charities, all nominated and voted for by Heckmondwike residents, which will benefit from the initiative. The more that locals and visitors bin their litter, the more money the charities will receive.

On presenting the cheque, Kim Leadbeater MBE, Labour MP for Spen Valley, said: “I’m thrilled to be able to present this donation. It’s inspiring to see such a simple idea making a big difference, both in keeping Heckmondwike cleaner and supporting brilliant local causes.”

Rainbow Baby Bank is a registered charity based in the heart of Heckmondwike town centre which helps disadvantaged families, both locally and across Kirklees, with new and pre-loved baby essentials.

Samantha Cottam, Rainbow Baby Bank Manager, said: “We all want to see a cleaner, tidier Heckmondwike and we’re doing this together by supporting this fantastic initiative. The money that has been raised, by simply disposing of rubbish, will make a huge difference to our charity. The number of families needing our help has increased dramatically due to the cost of living crisis. Small charities, like ours, need your support more than ever.”

Residents are encouraged to keep binning their litter in Market Square, with donations now supporting Brighter Grays and, from August, food bank Magic Wishing Well.

A spokesperson for Brighter Grays said: “We are very passionate about Heckmondwike as this is where our groups first began and where our office is now based. It feels like home to us! The ‘Bin it for good’ project is a fantastic idea which both means people re playing a part in keeping Heckmondwike tidy and also supporting Brighter Grays, ensuring we can continue to provide our much-needed service.”

Bin it for Good is the first of a year-long initiative inviting the local people of Heckmondwike to reconnect with their community and play a part in making their environment cleaner, greener and more cared for.

Love Where You Live Heckmondwike is part of the Litter Pact project by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, with support from Kirklees Council, and leading food and drinks brands Coca-Cola, KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s and Nestlé with the aim of investing in research and programmes to reduce litter. The campaign is being closely watched as a test model for broader adoption across the UK.

Keep Britain Tidy launches Love where you live:

Town chosen to be at the centre of a bold new community pride campaign
Call for residents, businesses and schools to get on board

A powerful new campaign is launching this week in Heckmondwike to encourage residents to take pride in their town and tackle litter together. The Love Where You Live: Heckmondwike initiative is inviting local people to reconnect with their community and play a part in making their environment cleaner, greener and more cared for.

The pioneering new approach launches amidst growing concerns about litter, fly-tipping and lack of public engagement and will see a number of initiatives rolled out in the community over the coming months. The first, ‘Bin It For Good’, launches today and will see local causes rewarded for responsible litter disposal – a tried and tested idea that is proven to reduce litter by up to 80%.

Every piece of rubbish binned in Market Square’s high-visibility smart bins will count toward donations to three much-loved local charities, all nominated and voted for by Heckmondwike residents. The more that locals and visitors bin their litter, the more money the following charities will receive*.

Rainbow Baby Bank – provides disadvantaged families and mothers-to-be with new and pre-loved baby equipment, nappies, toiletries, clothing, baby food and infant formula after professional referral – fundraising will go live on June 9

Brighter Grays – offers support to children and their families who have suffered a bereavement. The charity was started by a local mum after her husband and the father of her daughter, Lacie, died in 2021 and she found there was very little help available for grieving children – fundraising will go live on July 7

Magic Wishing Well – Heckmondwike Food Bank – fundraising will go live on August 4

A recent survey of Heckmondwike residents showed just 56% say they love where they live – 10% below the national average. To give wider context, A Rubbish Reality report published by Keep Britain Tidy earlier this year showed more than 90% of sites across England surveyed over the past 10 years contained litter and almost three times as much litter was found in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.

Over the next year, Heckmondwike will see everything from school-led clean-ups and litter-picking days to business partnerships and initiatives tackling specific issues like dog mess, fly-tipping and cigarette litter. The aim is to empower the community with the tools and incentives they need to help make a real difference. The impact of each initiative will be carefully measured with the aim of creating a blueprint for other towns facing similar issues.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Litter impacts people’s mental health. It makes people feel depressed and it deters business investment and affects property prices. A clean and tidy environment on people’s doorsteps can improve feelings of wellbeing, pride and community cohesion and is also likely to reduce anti-social behaviour – this is possible if everyone pulls together.

“There is a strong public desire to ‘turn off the tap’ of litter, rather than ‘mop up the problem’ and we’re really encouraged that nearly half of Heckmondwike residents told us they’re willing to take action to make a difference. We look forward to sharing our learnings and inspiring other areas of the country facing similar issues.”

Kim Leadbeater MBE, Labour MP for Spen Valley, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for my home town of Heckmondwike. This campaign isn’t just about litter – it’s about community transformation. Everyone has a role to play and I’m looking forward to seeing our brilliant local businesses, schools and residents get behind it. We want everyone to be able to say they love living here.

“The Bin It for Good initiative is a great starting point and will not only help keep our town clean and beautiful, but will help support charities that do incredible work in our community. I hope other towns across the country will soon be following our lead.”

Councillor Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet Member for Communities and Environment at Kirklees Council, said: “We’re working towards making Heckmondwike town centre better for everyone, with our Heckmondwike Blueprint schemes already beginning to take shape and benefitting local people. Campaigns like this will help to ensure the town centre remains a pleasant, enjoyable place to be long after these investments come to fruition. The reality is the costs of ‘cleaning up’ litter and fly-tipping means less money for vital services.

“This campaign is like setting the reset button on our town and we are delighted to have the support of behaviour change experts, Keep Britain Tidy, who have some brilliant tried and tested ideas that our community can embrace. Being able to address the issue of litter without putting any additional strain on services is truly welcomed and we are excited to see what we can achieve in partnership with the community of Heckmondwike”.

Local residents can sign up as:

A business or community group to receive resources to help you engage your customers and community in our litter initiatives
A school or nursery to help use the student voice to shape the project
An individual to join community events and help spread the word!

Love Where You Live Heckmondwike is part of the Litter Pact project by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, with support from Kirklees Council, and leading food and drinks brands Coca-Cola, KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s and Nestlé with the aim of investing in research and programmes to reduce litter. The campaign is being closely watched as a test model for broader adoption across the UK.

LONDON, 26 February 2025 – A recent survey conducted for London Recycles ahead of Repair Week 2025 has revealed that Londoners spent an average of £464.21 per person replacing damaged or broken items they believe could have been repaired over the past year. This adds up to a staggering £3.24 billion across London, marking a £240 million increase from a similar poll conducted for London Repair Week 2024.

The findings highlight the significant environmental and financial benefits of repairing rather than replacing items. However, many Londoners are unaware of affordable repair options or don’t feel they have the skills to fix things themselves.

London Repair Week 2025: free workshops and events

London Repair Week 2025, running from 3rd to 9th March, aims to inspire Londoners to embrace the repair revolution. With almost 90 active partners holding over 220 events across the city, many of which are free, the week offers opportunities to learn practical repair skills while connecting with others in the community.

56% of Londoners from the survey agreed that participating in a repair workshop would make them feel more connected to their local community, and 33% claim to have made friends at similar events in the past.

Workshops will cover a wide range of skills and items. Confirmed event hosts include London National Park City, Decathlon, TRAID, Kundakala, NOW Gallery and Trash Club. These workshops are designed to empower participants to extend the life of their belongings while reducing waste and saving money.

Repair Week has expanded beyond London again this year, bringing the repair movement to even more communities across the nation. Greater Manchester will be taking part for the third year running, while Cardiff, County Durham, Liverpool City Region, Belfast and Northern Ireland will take part for the first time.

Ali Moore, Head of Campaigns for London Recycles, said: “London Repair Week is about empowering people to make their stuff last longer, meet people and connect with their community. Whether you’re motivated by financial savings, environmental

concerns, or simply want to learn a new skill, there’s something for everyone at this year’s event.”

For a full list of workshops and events during #RepairWeekLDN, visit the London Recycles website London Recycles | Repair Week – What’s On.

Survey findings: a growing appetite for repair culture

The survey conducted by Censuswide reveals a growing interest in repair culture among Londoners:

77% want to learn repair skills to save money
67% would prefer repairing items themselves if they had the knowledge
57% are concerned about the cost of replacing broken items in the coming year
56% enjoy repairing items with others and want to learn more
58% would attend more local repair events if available locally
80% feel a sense of achievement when repairing things

Despite these positive trends, commonly discarded items like shoes (31%), clothing (29%), and kettles (27%) are often thrown away without exploring repair options.

Launching the UK’s first electrical repair voucher scheme

In addition to the events and workshops, an innovative repair voucher pilot scheme is being announced during the week. Funded by the North London Waste Authority and delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and FixFirst, this scheme is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to tackle one of the biggest barriers to repair: cost[2].

Key details of the scheme include:

Vouchers offering consumers 50% off repair costs (up to £50)
A trial run will take place across North London, with businesses accepting vouchers in Haringey, Hackney and Waltham Forest.
Launch date set for 1 April 2025, running for six months
The vouchers are available for use on repairs to household electrical items like toasters, kettles, lamps and tech including mobile phones and laptops

How it works: North London residents can apply for a voucher online and will receive a QR code to use at participating repair high street businesses listed on an interactive map. Once a repair is booked , customers receive their discount at payment. Businesses then claim back the cost from partner Fixfirst.

Fiona Dear, Co-Director at The Restart Project said: “Repair is hugely popular, but cost is one of the main reasons that people don’t fix their electricals. So we’re delighted to be trialling a repair voucher scheme in North London. The trial will directly reduce repair costs for Londoners, encourage more people to try out repair, and support North London’s repair businesses. We look forward to seeing the impact of the pilot, and making the case for further, longer-term schemes in the UK.”

New report reveals top three priorities for government and businesses to support householders to deliver emission reductions
75% of homeowners polled are open to making changes with the right help and support
Wide-ranging study from environmental charity informed by funding and expertise from well-known household brands

Today, the environmental charity Hubbub launches ‘Home Advantage’, a blueprint for government and businesses to support UK households to live more sustainably. The report draws on the findings of an in-depth study working closely with 175 UK homeowners over three months, supported by polling of 501 UK homeowners¹.

The research covered a wide range of everyday habits – from the food we eat, to the stuff we buy and throw away, as well as home energy and heating. Participants in the Home Advantage study were furnished with advice and inspiration to help them make sustainable changes at home and to have their say on what kind of support would help them go further. While the recommendations are made by Hubbub, the Home Advantage study has been supported by a cohort of businesses, B&Q, Barratt Redrow PLC, Starbucks UK, TSB, Unilever UK and Virgin Media O2, who provided funding for the study, as well as lending their subject matter expertise and insights from their sector.

Household action on climate change is an essential part of the combined effort needed from all corners of society to reach net zero, including businesses and government too. According to the Climate Change Committee², 32% of the emission reductions needed between now and 2035 to meet net zero rely on the choices made by households, and the rest involve them in some way. Reassuringly, Hubbub found that UK households believe everyone has a responsibility to act, including themselves, as 75% polled¹ are open to making changes to how they live to help do their bit for climate change and help balance emissions, with the right help and support from business and government.

The report identifies the top three areas of support that UK households need most to be more sustainable:

1. Confidence: Following their involvement in Home Advantage, many participants became more willing to make changes at home such as cutting home energy use and reducing meat and dairy intake by 20%³, thanks to increased awareness, knowledge and seeing other participants act. 75% of 175 participants felt more confident about reducing and preventing food waste at home, whilst over half of participants became more confident in making ‘veggie’ dishes at home. The report points to the need for government and business to improve trust and instill confidence to inspire households to act, using positive narratives and trusted messengers.

2. Clarity: Home Advantage participants indicated their need for clarity to make the right choices. For example, over a third (35%) of households polled¹ said knowledge (not knowing where to get started, how to do it myself or how to navigate funding) was the biggest barrier to making home energy upgrades. They noted wanting to know which technology would work best for their home and saw a role for the government to support this transition. There is also an opportunity for more clarity on which actions make the most difference, such as meat and dairy reduction, over turning off lights. In all of these areas, householders need a clear end-to-end journey to support them to act, with simple, accessible language (i.e. removing jargon such as ‘net zero’ or ‘retrofit’) and smaller incremental actions so it is more easily understood and less overwhelming.

3. Cost: 65% of UK households polled¹ identify cost as the biggest barrier stopping them making home energy upgrades, making their home more energy efficient or using cleaner heat and power. Cost perception and affordability are big barriers for households taking sustainable actions, including the ‘squeezed middle’. Cost was also found to be a motivator for sustainable behaviour, including saving energy or buying second-hand. Households need funding support, evidence of value for money and clear return on investments to help them act.

The insights from Home Advantage have helped create 12 recommendations for business and/or government. These include:

Helping drive demand and public confidence: to launch unprecedented communication and behavioural campaigns, develop an impartial advice platform on sustainable living and for businesses to raise awareness and inspire action among customers.
Clean heat and home energy upgrades: to build consumer willingness and confidence, to review the end-to-end experience for homeowners and tackle trust and skills gaps in the supply chain.
Food waste and sustainable diets: to enable households to buy more loose fruit and veg, and reframe meat reduction more positively while offering greater veggie options.
Things we buy and throw away: to introduce legislation to help create a circular fashion economy and legislation to tackle e-waste by enabling more repair and reuse, plus support the local sharing economy.

Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-Founder at Hubbub said: “We’ve listened carefully to homeowners across the country, and we are encouraged by the overwhelming appetite to act. Householders have told us they want to understand where to start, what will make the biggest difference, how much it will cost, what the wider benefits will be and how others will also play their part. We believe this challenge requires a radical rethink of how these issues are presented to the public to stimulate a step change in demand for sustainable choices, in a way that builds confidence, improves clarity and provides financial incentives and reassurance.

“Applying the overarching principles from this report alone could help the UK to make huge strides towards the third of emissions reduction required by 2035 that relies on the decisions of households.”

Kerry Lloyd, a part-time personal trainer from Ormskirk, who took part in Home Advantage, said: “My journey to being more efficient in my home and trying to navigate what is best practice for things like food and energy has been a big learning curve. I’ve stopped throwing out food that’s past the best before date and I use my app to manage energy costs. Being part of the Home Advantage group really educated me on many things that I would normally not have given a second thought. I now feel proud that I can do a lot more. And I will try to educate my daughter and hopefully she will do the same to her friends, so we can all do our own part to make a big difference.”

For access to the full report, please visit: https://bit.ly/hubbubhomeadvantage

The National Preparedness Commission (NPC) today issued a critical warning about the precarious state of the United Kingdom’s food security. In a new report published this morning, the Commission is urging immediate action to safeguard the nation’s food supply against mounting global pressures, including climate change, geopolitical instability, extreme weather events, fragile supply chains and the ongoing repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NPC’s groundbreaking report concludes that considerable change is needed to bring UK food policy into a fit state of preparedness. It provides a critical framework to ensure that the UK’s food systems are resilient, sustainable and able to feed the nation in both ordinary and extraordinary times. Authored by Professor Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City St George’s, University of London, Just in Case: 7 steps to narrow the UK civil food resilience gap (linked here), calls for a decisive shift from reactive food policies to proactive, community-centred resilience planning – examining in detail for the first time how the British public can be better prepared.

Serving as a rallying cry for policymakers, the report draws on lessons from ten countries to stress the urgency of embedding food resilience into national policy, proposing a strategic reset from “just-in-time” to “just-in-case” logistics. Highlighting a convergence of threats, the Just in Case framework offers a blueprint for stability and preparedness: recommending a coordinated approach from government, industry and crucially, civil society.

Among 15 key recommendations, the report calls for new legislation to formalise the state’s obligation to feed the public in a time of crisis. A new legally defined UK food policy, including increased domestic production, is also recommended. Elsewhere, the report urges changes to food distribution systems, the introduction of town-to-town food resilience learning exchanges and research into current thinking around stockpiling and rationing, all to better prepare Britain for food shocks.

Over 70 people from organisations as diverse as the food industry, government, academia, and community groups were interviewed by the authors. In one-to-one interviews, they were asked to judge risks, fragilities, options and recommendations for how to improve food system resilience, and particularly to advise on how to accelerate what the report calls ‘civil food resilience’. These extensive interviews are cited throughout the report, all anonymised to encourage frankness. Case studies from Birmingham, Bristol and international cities underscore the potential of grassroots initiatives, which often outpace government in innovation and community engagement. The report measures ‘civil food resilience’ by considering the public’s awareness of risks, ability to reduce unnecessary risks and preparedness to act inclusively with others to ensure all society is well fed during crises.

The detailed research is presented in a 370-page main report, with a standalone Executive Summary. It highlights that enhancing resilience is not a “bolt-on” solution but an integrated effort requiring coordination and collaboration across different levels of society and between different sectors – government, industry, commerce, science, education and civil society.

Professor Tim Lang said: “The UK’s post-War food system, while revolutionary in its time, is no longer fit for purpose. To safeguard our future, we must prioritise resilience at every level – from local communities to national frameworks. There is a gap between the official risk and resilience framework which presents a picture that all is OK, and the realities that people in senior and frontline roles read differently. There is too much complacency about UK food security and civil food resilience barely features at all in forward planning. Food resilience is not just about surviving a crisis but thriving despite it. This report stands apart from current frameworks by taking into account the public’s current attitudes and understanding of food risks, and asking how civil society can be better engaged to ultimately become more resilient.”

Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the National Preparedness Commission said: “Food security is a cornerstone of national resilience. This report highlights the urgent need for a coordinated, whole-society approach to ensure that no one in the UK is left vulnerable in the face of future crises. The risks to our food systems are more pronounced than ever before. From floods in key farming regions to disruptions in global trade, we are facing a confluence of threats that could undermine our ability to feed ourselves. The recommendations provide a clear path forward, and it is vital that these are considered urgently.”

The NPC’s new report outlines several key areas of concern and presents actionable recommendations to protect the UK’s civil food security.

The report proposes seven steps to civil food resilience:

1.. Learn from others

The UK should emulate steps taken by other counties, including improving coordination across government levels, ensuring public advice is accessible and the introduction of community guidelines around stockpiling.

2. Assess the public’s mood, perceptions and engagement

Develop a comprehensive food resilience tracker, increase public awareness of food risks, and promote clear, accessible guidance to enhance trust and preparedness.

3. Map the community’s food assets

Shift from individual stockpiling to collective approaches, enabling shared food skills, resources, and multi-level coordination for equitable crisis preparedness.

4. Local authorities are key to building civil food resilience

Cities and regions play a vital role: fostering local frameworks, partnerships, and integrated policies to enhance sustainability and readiness.

5. Create local Food Resilience Committees to co-ordinate resilience preparation

Use local Food Resilience Committees to map supply chains, build networks, assess risks, and coordinate tailored, community-based food preparedness.

6. The UK central state must create and maintain a coherent food policy

A clear national food policy is urgently needed to set goals, improve coordination, and ensure resilience through proactive legislation and strategy.

7. Re-set the Government Resilience Framework for food

A National Food Resilience and Security Council should integrate food resilience into policy, ensuring preparedness, sustainability, and public trust through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Key recommendations in the report include:

Legislate for a comprehensive UK food policy: Introduce a Food Security and Resilience Act to ensure a sustainable and resilient food system.
Pass law that obligates the government to feed the public in crises: Formalise government responsibility for crisis food provision, drawing on Sweden’s model.
Shift to a just-in-case food system: Reform logistics to prepare for supply chain shocks, replacing the Just-in-Time approach.
Reassess food as critical national infrastructure: Require Defra to treat food security as a core component of national infrastructure planning.
Create a national council for food security: Establish an advisory body to provide evidence-based, consistent advice on food resilience.
Integrate food into National and Community Risk Registers: Risk assessments should include food-related risks, considering local conditions and community responses.

Include food in the National Infrastructure Commission’s workplans:
The National Infrastructure Commission should incorporate food security into its workplans and advice.
Update crisis communication: Revise public messaging and integrate food issues into messaging planning.
Research stockpiling and rationing: Investigate stockpiling, rationing, and integrating local food providers into emergency food systems.
Engage civil society: Engage civil society organisations to improve emergency food advice, replacing the ‘Prepare’ programme with trusted systems.
Form local Food Resilience Committees: Create committees at the local level, building on existing food policy networks and chaired by trusted local experts.
Prioritise urban and decentralised food production in planning: Amend land-use policies to support regional and urban food production while addressing climate and social equity goals.
Promote regional food strategies: Encourage collaboration among metro mayors and devolved governments to develop regional food policies.
Foster food resilience learning exchanges: Establish town, city, village and institution exchanges for knowledge-sharing on sustainable food systems.
Invest in research: Fund studies into food vulnerabilities, crisis impacts, and demographic-specific resilience measures.

These steps aim to fortify the nation’s food systems, ensuring they remain robust in the face of growing global uncertainties.

Over 90% of places surveyed across England blighted by litter

Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has today released a landmark report that exposes the alarming scale of England’s litter crisis and its disproportionate impact on the nation’s most deprived communities. The report, drawing on a decade of on-the-ground research combined with public opinion data, unveils growing concern over the worsening impact of litter on public health, the environment and the economy.

Key findings include:

Litter is everywhere: More than 90% of the 1,140 miles of urban and rural sites surveyed by Keep Britain Tidy over the past decade were found to contain litter, with the latest survey showing just nine in every 100 locations in England to be litter-free.

Litter anxiety is high: Over three quarters (77%) of people believe the country’s litter problem has got worse in recent years, with seven in ten now noticing litter in their local area daily.

Deprived communities are disproportionately impacted: Researchers found almost three times as much litter in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived, while litter-free spaces were seven times less likely to be found in the most deprived communities.

Along with damaging the environment, this report shows litter also negatively impacts our mental health, sense of safety and economic prosperity. When shown an image of a heavily littered street, two thirds of survey respondents (66%) said that they wouldn’t feel safe walking there at night, 86% said they would feel embarrassed to live there and almost one in seven (67%) felt that living in such an area would negatively affect their mental health. Furthermore, almost nine in ten (87%) said they would be discouraged from buying or renting in such a littered area and more than three quarters (78%) believed the high levels of litter would deter business investment.

The report revealed overwhelming public support for prevention measures to tackle the problem, including anti-littering campaigns. A lack of pride in maintaining local community spaces was seen as a contributing factor to an increasing litter problem by six in ten people (62%), while more than half (52%) believe that littering has become normal behaviour.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Our report is a wake-up call. It shows that litter is more than an eyesore – it prevents investment, creates inequality, damages the environment and makes people feel depressed and unsafe. It’s unacceptable that the most deprived communities are bearing the brunt of the country’s litter problem. We believe that everyone, wherever they live, should be able to take pride in their environment – but we cannot achieve this alone.”

“If we are to make significant strides towards creating litter-free spaces for everyone, we need to set a new course and take coordinated action. Our research shows strong support for preventative measures to tackle this issue, demonstrating the public desire to ‘turn off the tap’ of litter, rather than ‘mop up the problem’.

“However, this requires a plan and cooperation at every level. 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.”

With on-the-go consumption firmly embedded in 21^st century society, discarded packaging from drinks, snacks and fast food were second only to smoking-related litter in prevalence in the latest survey data. Sweets and chocolate wrappers were found in more than half (52%) of surveyed sites, followed by drinks bottles and cans, which were present in almost a third of all locations (31%). Fast food-related litter was present in 22% of areas, and crisps and snack packets in 16%.

However, when it comes to public perceptions, drinks-related litter is cited by more than nine in ten survey respondents (92%) as the most problematic type of litter. The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is welcomed by Keep Britain Tidy to specifically address this issue, which has been shown to disproportionally impact the most disadvantaged in society. Drinks-related litter was found to be almost three times as prevalent in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived locations.

Allison added “Keep Britain Tidy supports the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) as a significant step towards tackling drinks-related litter, which is especially problematic in the most deprived communities. With government estimates suggesting the DRS could cut littered drinks containers by 85%, this initiative has the potential to deliver profound benefits where they are most needed.”

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