Litter
Some communities have serious litter problems. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) estimates that clearing up litter in public areas costs local councils half a billion pounds a year.
Dropping litter in streets and other public places is illegal. Local councils and the police are responsible for enforcing anti-litter laws. Councils can appoint litter wardens to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £80 to anyone caught dropping litter in public. Offenders can also be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court and fined up to £2,500.