Page 5 | To ask if anyone will admit to littering?

Icanttakethisanymore · 2025-09-08T14:36:15+00:00

I am genuinely intrigued to see if anyone will admit to littering, on purpose. I was walking through the woods earlier and there was a starbucks cup and a few can discarded along my route. I am sure that occasionally people drop things by accident but undoubtedly some of it is intentional. I genuinely can't imagine chucking my rubbish on the floor so if anyone will admit to it, why do you do it?

OtherS · 08/09/2025 17:23

Another 80s child who was firmly conditioned not to throw litter, even the thought of it makes me weirdly uncomfortable! We need another Keep Britain Tidy campaign, though I don't know how well it would work now we're not all forced to watch the same adverts. Though I think it was drummed into me at school so maybe they should try that again? It worked very well - everyone I know of my age is equally horrified by the notion of littering, and it did certainly use to be a lot tidier. I think we also knew more / cared more about wildlife.

Danikm151 · 08/09/2025 17:23

I asked someone if they were going to pick their litter up once and their response was I pay council tax so they can do it.

UnctuousUnicorns · 08/09/2025 17:20

BrownieBlondie01 · 08/09/2025 16:51

I'd also be interested to know how much of littering could be accounted for by something similar to what they say about 'panic buying', in that it's not a load of serial offenders but rather everyone else picking up slightly more than usual that causes the issues?

Could a lot of it be due to the accidental blowing away of a crisp packet/kitkat wrapper that has likely happened to all of us at some point adds up and there's a lot less serial litterers than we might assume? I'd like to think that, but not sure it's really true, although I can't say I've often seen people purposely littering (aside from cigarette butts).

I somehow doubt it.

Deadringer · 08/09/2025 17:20

For those saying they dont have enough bin space, maybe buy less crap? We are a family of 7, with 2 dogs and 2 cats and we can manage our waste.

Chocolatefreak · 08/09/2025 17:19

There is apparently going to be an 'Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging' policy implemented in the UK this year - to make companies financially responsible for the packaging waste they generate. Don't know how it will work. Also the dog shit tax thing has been implemented in some countries already. But clearly we are going wrong somewhere in our environment education if Mumsnet posters are littering and thinking pizza boxes decompose in six months!

landlordhell · 08/09/2025 17:17

Catwalking · 08/09/2025 17:16

are you saying that you’d put non-indigenous vegetable or fruit waste into landfill?

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I put it into food recycling

WonderingWanda · 08/09/2025 17:16

Starlight1984 · 08/09/2025 16:40

Nope. Never. In fact we do the opposite and pick litter up on our dog walks. We live in a rural spot which is popular with tourists who love to come on their "countryside walks" and leave their Costa / Starbucks cups on the canal and riverside paths. Also poo bags which the owners have kindly picked their dogs poo up in but then just left the full bag?!

The poo bags are the worst.

Catwalking · 08/09/2025 17:16

BlackAndWhiteShoes · 08/09/2025 16:10

Apple cores in a bush are probably ok but banana skins, as non indigenous fruits are different and they change the soil PH. So I would not litter banana skins.

I live in Birmingham and the litter in some parts (well before any strike) has to be seen to be believed. It is an absolutely filthy city. My lovely local park also gets spoilt by litter louts in the summer. I don’t understand people who think it’s ok.

are you saying that you’d put non-indigenous vegetable or fruit waste into landfill?

DramaLlamacchiato · 08/09/2025 17:16

JadziaD · 08/09/2025 17:01

I hate literring. I used to smoke and while I admit, I did throw a few fag ends away over the years, I always felt bad and actually had a little portable ashtray thing I used to take with me places, or stick my fag ends into my box. Admittedly, it was also one of my reasons to stop smoking - I HATE fag ends and hated being associate with people who threw them.

I consciosuly throw apple cores but ONLY into bushes and never just on the path etc.

Nothing else.

But I have noticed two particularl types of littering that I think are the main culprits:

1 Teenagers> God, they're a nightmare. I see it often (we live near a school) and they're shameless too. tell them to pick it up and they get very aggro. It's that entitled teenage shittiness. I have to assume most of them grow out of it.

2 out of cars. This one I assume is people not feeling they have anywhere else to put it. I have also noticed this seems to be more ofte men than women in that in my personal experience if I see someone throw something out the car window, it's almost always a man not a woman. But that is purely anecdotal, personal experience with zero scientific note taking behind it.

Yes! No 2! I was in McDonald’s car park years ago with my kids, sat eating our food. I got out to put our rubbish in the bin and as I was doing so the man in the car next to the bin just rolled down his window and threw his litter out the window. What the fuck is wrong with these selfish lazy dirty bastards. Of course you can’t say anything or you’d get a mouthful of abuse.

WonderingWanda · 08/09/2025 17:14

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 08/09/2025 15:40

If I know that things will rot away quickly and there's no bins nearby I do it.

Over the summer we had takeaway pizzas in the park and as there were no bins we left the boxes in some bushes. They're cardboard so they'll be gone by now or birds would use it for a house.

Take it home, so lazy.

I think this is the crux of the problem, people feel entitled to leave it if there isn't a bin.

I don't drop litter and am continuously shocked by people who do. I've even confronted people leaving piles of litter on a beach and in a park before and been told that it's someone's job to pick it up.

Wiennetta · 08/09/2025 17:14

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 08/09/2025 15:40

If I know that things will rot away quickly and there's no bins nearby I do it.

Over the summer we had takeaway pizzas in the park and as there were no bins we left the boxes in some bushes. They're cardboard so they'll be gone by now or birds would use it for a house.

It could easily take years for those cardboard boxes to decompose. The more likely outcome for them is they were picked up by another park user or by the park staff. Honestly it’s shocking how lazy you were that you didn’t bother cleaning up after yourself and used this ridiculous justification.

Rightandwrong · 08/09/2025 17:11

floppybit · 08/09/2025 16:51

There’s a young woman on Instagram who shows the stuff people leave on Brighton beach and it beggars belief, it really does. Families buy a full set of beach toys, buckets and spades for their kids, and then just walk off and leave it all at the end of the day. She spends her spare time meticulously cleaning everything she collects and donates it to the charity shop. What she’s doing is amazing, but she shouldn’t have to do it.

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Yes it's crazy isn't it?

What they did here last summer was create what they called "toy libraries". They were a couple of open boxes placed near the car parking facilities at 2 points of the beach front. And they put all the toys discarded on the beach in them. And there were notices telling people they could make use of the toys and asking them to return them before they went home. I don't know how well used the "toy libraries" were but I know one of them got vandalised, which was very sickening.

DramaLlamacchiato · 08/09/2025 17:11

And since when do birds make houses out of pizza boxes?! Seriously, fuck off.

Deadringer · 08/09/2025 17:10

My mum drummed it into to take our rubbish home with us if there are no bins and I have done the same with my dc. Littering is selfish and disgusting and there is no excuse for it.

Pastaandoranges · 08/09/2025 17:09

No, I hate litter. I always assumed that any litter would be young teens or drunks, from this thread it seeems anyone could be the culprit. If my kids even drop a tissue then I make then pick it up.
The only thing I do litter is apple cores or bananas if I am in woodland, throw into a bush as it will compost and is a natural product.
I once was on holiday about 8 years ago and I was a bit drunk and left an empty plastic water bottle in the car park by the beach and I still think about it now..

DramaLlamacchiato · 08/09/2025 17:08

Not me, I cannot stand littering. Throw your rubbish in a bin or take it home! It’s not hard

Pollqueen · 08/09/2025 17:07

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 08/09/2025 15:40

If I know that things will rot away quickly and there's no bins nearby I do it.

Over the summer we had takeaway pizzas in the park and as there were no bins we left the boxes in some bushes. They're cardboard so they'll be gone by now or birds would use it for a house.

Take your litter home with you. What's wrong with you, as thats truly shocking

FlatErica · 08/09/2025 17:07

I don’t have anything to admit to: I just don’t do it. Anyone who does it is a piece of excrement.

Allelbowsandtoes · 08/09/2025 17:06

intrepidpanda · 08/09/2025 15:53

I throw apple cores as well (plus grapes, raisins or berries). To feed the birds.

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Grapes and raisins are very poisonous to most dogs so probably better not to leave them lying around if possible 💚

landlordhell · 08/09/2025 17:05

Ilovepastafortea · 08/09/2025 17:03

I was a farmer's daughter & brought up to respect the environment. Never would litter.

People don't understand that, although a banana skin will decompose, it could be poisonous to wildlife, better to take it home & bury it under your rose bush where it will decompose & feed your rose.

I've been dog walking with friends in National Trust woods & they have laughed at me picking up my dog poo saying that foxes poo in woods. However, if every dog walker left their dog poo lying around it would make it unpleasant for other people walking possibly with young children.

I've never picked up after my horse though - there isn't a poo bag big enough 😉

Banana skins take years to degrade.

midlifeattheoasis · 08/09/2025 17:05

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 08/09/2025 15:40

If I know that things will rot away quickly and there's no bins nearby I do it.

Over the summer we had takeaway pizzas in the park and as there were no bins we left the boxes in some bushes. They're cardboard so they'll be gone by now or birds would use it for a house.

Why couldn't you take the pizza boxes home with you?

SparrowFeet · 08/09/2025 17:04

I'm sure I saw a suggestion somewhere about adding car registrations on takeaway packaging so that it could be traced back to the litteree. I like that idea.

landlordhell · 08/09/2025 17:04

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 08/09/2025 15:40

If I know that things will rot away quickly and there's no bins nearby I do it.

Over the summer we had takeaway pizzas in the park and as there were no bins we left the boxes in some bushes. They're cardboard so they'll be gone by now or birds would use it for a house.

Oh my god! What absolutely shocking thing to do! I hope this is a joke.

Ilovepastafortea · 08/09/2025 17:03

I was a farmer's daughter & brought up to respect the environment. Never would litter.

People don't understand that, although a banana skin will decompose, it could be poisonous to wildlife, better to take it home & bury it under your rose bush where it will decompose & feed your rose.

I've been dog walking with friends in National Trust woods & they have laughed at me picking up my dog poo saying that foxes poo in woods. However, if every dog walker left their dog poo lying around it would make it unpleasant for other people walking possibly with young children.

I've never picked up after my horse though - there isn't a poo bag big enough 😉

Lotsnlotsoflove · 08/09/2025 17:03

No. Round here I think much of the litter is foxes getting into bins and dragging stuff into the woods etc, plus wind. But some people are disgusting.