‘A Rubbish Reality’ shows UK vape litter on the rise despite less cigarette waste
Keep Britain Tidy reports finding litter in nine out of ten public spaces in England, with the public perceiving drinks container litter to be the most problematic.
More than 90 per cent of public spaces in England contain litter, with deprived areas experiencing the largest impacts, according to new research by Keep Britain Tidy.
The 'A Rubbish Reality: Our litter problem and why it matters' report draws on surveys covering England between 2013 and 2024, examining urban and rural spaces, residential areas and public places to find out the extent of littering across the country.
Which types of litter are creating the most waste?
According to the study, discarded packaging from drinks, snacks and fast food were second only to smoking-related litter in prevalence. Sweets and chocolate wrappers were found in just over half of the survey sites, followed by drinks bottles and cans, which were found in a third of all locations.
Although cigarette discards had the highest representation, the latest survey from 2024 found that litter waste had reduced by 17 per cent.
Comparatively, vape litter is growing rapidly, now found in almost 20 per cent of areas, despite being a new type of waste. With a UK-wide ban on disposable vapes coming into force in June this year, the Government is aiming to tackle this emerging issue.
Type of Litter | Litter in Most Deprived Places (per cent) | Litter in Least Deprived Places (per cent) |
---|---|---|
Cigarette butts/packaging | 81 | 54 |
Sweets/chocolate/chewing gum wrappers | 60 | 42 |
Drinks bottles/cans | 46 | 22 |
Fast-food related (including soft drinks cups) | 27 | 13 |
Crisp and snack packets | 25 | 9 |
Vapes/vape packaging | 21 | 11 |
Single-use coffee cups | 10 | 3 |
Chewing gum | 9 | 4 |
Dog poo | 7 | 4 |
Table 1: Proportion of places with each litter type
Public perception
The study also draws from a YouGov survey of 1,737 adults in England taken in December 2024. According to the survey, drinks-related litter is cited as the most problematic type of litter by 92 per cent of respondents.
Additionally, over three quarters believed that the country’s litter problem has gotten worse in recent years, noting litter in local areas daily. A further 78 per cent of respondents thought that high levels of litter would deter business investment.
By far the most affected are deprived areas, where researchers found almost three times as much litter compared to the least deprived areas. In many of these areas, only 2 per cent of places were little-free.
Discussing the impact of problem, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “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.”
Waste reduction recommendations
The report cites the potential of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) to reduce litter from these materials. However, the producer fees are formulated to cover the cost of recycling, Keep Britain Tidy note responsibility is not extended to cover litter recovery.
Cllr Adam Hug, Environment Spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA), further called for manufacturers to bear responsibility for litter: “At a time when councils are facing significant financial pressures packaging producers must take responsibility for meeting costs of disposing of this litter and in helping further reduce and recycle packaging waste.”
The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), set to come into effect in October 2027 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, is expected to reduce littered drinks containers by 85 per cent. The report suggests that this will particularly benefit deprived areas, where drinks container litter is 2.8 times higher than in affluent neighbourhoods.
Commenting on the next steps to reduce litter, Ogden-Newton added: “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.”