Your Comments: Notes on a Dirty Island

Experts says litter is indicative of other social problems and crime

Thank you for sending us your comments on Panorama: Notes on a Dirty Island.

The debate is now closed but a selection of your views are published below.

Panorama: Notes on a Dirty Island was shown on BBC One at 8.30pm on Monday 11 August 2008.

Read more about Notes on a Dirty Island

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I am so pleased that you broadcasted this programme. Litter is an ever growing problem. It is a depressing symptom of our disposable society. There needs to be a combination of vigilance by local authorities through fines and incentives through schemes such as deposits on returned bottles etc. The example of Middlesbrough shown on the programme was very instructive. The government are not doing enough here. Well done to Bill Bryson and all involved in bringing this timely programme to our screens.
Patrick Bolger

I've lived in the UK now for 10 years and was very surprised when I first came here to see people simply tossing their trash on the street, the roadside, and even in train carriages (where there usually is a bin) it is a clear statement that people simply don't care. The link between crime/anti social behaviour and trash expressed in this program is certainly evident in my own Bromley neighbourhood. I am concerned that now that many councils are moving to alternate weekly collection schemes - we'll see more public litter, and in areas of high population density - like London - an increase in the "I don't care" attitude, anti-social behaviour, and more serious crime.
Alexis Tancibok

I was rolling down the hill with my little sister Phoebe's friends when I got half way down to the bottom I cut my leg open on some brown glass. I went to hospital and had eight butterfly stitches. I put all my rubbish in the bin so why can't grown ups who drink mucky beer put their rubbish in the bin, if they did I wouldn't have got hurt.
Shelby (age 6)

Excellent documentary last night from Bill Bryson. Really support his views on our need to tidy up our act as a nation. We really need to find ways to solve this problem. I think litter really undermines our community, sense of pride, neighbourliness and national image. I'm always ashamed when we get visitors to stay from overseas and they see all this rubbish down our streets. I find myself cleaning my street before they come. Echo statements on programme about believing litter is linked and does contribute to the misplaced believe of some of the acceptability of petty crime and the nastynesses of society. What can we do to do more - how can we join local clear up teams like those on the programme and how do we get it up the agenda?
John Ager

I am fit/retired category and would be willing to be part of a group which meets regularly to litter pick. I think it could be a rewarding and sociable way of using my time. Anyone out there agree?
Eve Sargeant

Thank you Bill Bryson for the long overdue comments on the state of this filthy, letter strewn country. Supermarket plastic bags, hanging in the trees, and drink cans/takeaway containers/metalic crisp packets, randomly discarded or thrown from passing cars. Our fault for not teaching our children to take their litter home, or give them proper meals so they don't need to permanently snack. Most days I "litter pick", and it's good to know I'm not the only one who thinks this country is a disgrace - Many thanks for your concern Bill.
Marion O'Connor

On my farmland I have had 15 separate incidents of fly tipping. One of these was before the introduction of Landfill Tax. 14 were since. Draw your own conclusions! Mine are that politicians of all parties need a crash course in the Law of Unintended Consequences.
David Gardiner

Well done indeed Bill Bryson! Let's listen to him, follow his advice and learn from his common sense approach. Those areas of our once beautiful country who are taking a proactive approach to deal with litter and its awful consequences are true beacons of a better future and must be emulated. The inspirational programme was unfortunately summed up by Jeremy Vine's defeatist final remark saying that Councils have too many other priorities...URRRH!
Christine Heard

An excellent programme but probably preaching to the converted. The people who watch this are not likely to be the culprits dropping litter. However, if everyone gets in touch with their local councillors and MP's and insist that this problem is given greater priority, collectively, we may get something done.
Jo Harrison

I am currently working on a series of pictorial paintings with litter included in them, as I am so incensed by the detritus in the hedgerows when I walk the dog At a recent exhibition the comments were " I would have bought the works, just a shame about the crisp packets" - precisely!!!
Brenda M. Brown

I couldn't agree more with Bill Bryson; people should take more care of the environment. I would go so far as to say that chewing gum should be banned!!
Joyce Watson

Well done Bill Bryson for articulating so clearly what many people feel on the subject of litter. The programme overall was very comprehensive and balanced, and I hope a spur for much needed further action. Litter is indeed a severe and worsening blight on our nation and a source of embarrassment and shame. Compared against most wealthy nations, our record in this area is not to our credit. Not only is litter connected to crime but the pervasive 'Me, Me' culture by which individual whim, convenience and selfishness is allowed to operate apart from any concern for wider society. Also it is an expression of a lack of pride in self and the environment and nation as a whole. Many people do care about this issue but government do not appear to have it as a priority. It will certainly be one of mine at the next election.
John Riley

I have also noticed how much of the rubbish lying around on the ground consists of cans and bottles. It is disappointing that the Government appears, once more, unwilling to stand up to business interests and ban the non-returnable bottle. Campaigners tried to highlight this problem 30 years ago by returning no-deposit bottles to supermarkets and manufacturers. Maybe it's about time we did the same again.
Philip Bisatt

Notes On A Dirty Island was an excellent programme & presented very well by Bill Bryson. It is shameful the state of Britain in regards to littering. People of Britain have no pride in their country & are spoiling a once beautiful island. As a Brit who has recently returned to the UK from living in the U.S for 5 years, I could not believe how filthy Britain has become. As an experienced world traveller, Britain is amongst the highest filthiest countries' of the world. There needs to be radical changes to clean up our declining land, both in political and criminal law because surely, spoiling the UK with rubbish & wasting money cleaning it up is criminal. To foreigners visiting the UK, Brits appear to be dirty slobs due to out of control littering...what a reputation! We need more TV programmes like this, well done!!!
Carole Hartman

I believe that it is everyone's responsibility to keep their own area clean. If there is litter in my street I will pick it up. I think some people just blank it out, they don't see it. To me, rubbish just jumps out at me and spoils my view of life, it makes me so angry. It's sad that people just don't care. I loved the town with loud speakers attached to CCTV cameras, that would be my ideal job shouting 'pick that up' to the unthinking individuals who just drop litter. I will now investigate what is happening in my area and see if I can help.
Pauline Allday

I totally agree with the sentiments and views expressed by Mr. Bryson. I see lots of litter around the streets of my home town and in the local countryside. I have just returned from three weeks in Canada and the dirty streets and country lanes in this country make me feel ashamed of my country.
Steve Allison

I can't tell you how happy I was that you raised the issue of litter in UK. I live in Hackney and am passionate about the borough, it is wonderfully diverse and there are many people trying hard to make their little patch better, but littering is such a huge problem and I admit that I fall into the category of people who are too scared to get involved if I see littering. We really need to educate and enforce the message that we are all responsible for our environment and littering is a total lack of respect. Not only to our community but to ourselves. Being a poor borough, I understand the council has many priorities, but the psychological impact of a clean environment is huge. Please keep this issue in the media.
Julia

Bill Bryson is absolutely right. Litter is a slap in the face of what we share in common; and to indulge it, as too many public authorities do, is to give the green light to public carelessness.It's time to get serious about solving this completely unnecessary, expensive, and depressing national blight. Joan Ruddock, wake up!
Nigel Biggar

I am a countryside ranger dealing with public open spaces and local nature reserves, the Panorama programme was a good first shot but it was probably over simplistic. Our 'dirty island' is very much linked to low level criminal behaviour, graffiti, damaging park furniture, group parties fueled by alcohol and perceived safe drugs. These regular summer parties leave a trail of cans, bottles (often smashed,)fire sites, aerosol cans and cigarette packets. Some weeks I spend 50% of my time picking litter, removing graffiti and repairing wooden structures. How can you issue a fine when the offences occur away from cameras and most often in the hours of darkness. We need a consistent police approach, more parental involvement, less knee jerk reaction when a fine is imposed, magistrates that visit litter sites and councils really want to solve the problem.
George Davidson

An excellent programme-and not before time. The attitude of Joan Ruddock was unfortunately indicative of the complacency I have experienced when complaining to local authorities and politicians about the problem. I would though have liked to have seen the Chief Executive or Leader of the Council of the area in which the roadside verge producing the two black sacks of rubbish was located being asked to explain why such squalor was allowed to persist and what they proposed to do to prevent a reoccurrence in the future.
Malcolm Leatherdale

I totally agree with the proposals put forward by Bryson on clearing up our litter problem nationwide. What a few communities have put into practice with good results should be adopted throughout the country. The deposit scheme for drinks containers should be implemented immediately. The 'too expensive' comments by the DEFRA spokesperson is the usual cop out excuse. Every piece of litter has someone's name on it! My thanks to Bill Bryson for taking on the challenge.
Pat Williams

I would like to comment on Panorama programme shown on evening of 11th August by Bill Bryson regarding the litter problem in the UK and the world. Our family felt that the programme did not get to the source of the matter; We feel that the general population who mainly feels disempowered to change things were blamed in the production of the programme and that the REDUCTION of all this waste is the key to its demise. Waste proliferation is making a lot of money for those that produce it. Further - there is a whole industry built around burning and land filling waste and large corporations are involved in this multi-million pound industry; it is not until we look deeper into the motivations of businesses who produce the waste (and decide to impose some responsibility on these corporations) that we will see less waste arriving everywhere in the environment we live in. This waste produces pollution on land, sea and air and is not always visible - it needs to be reduced not just PICKED UP. We need to look backwards to the future and get rid of non-biodegradable waste products - responsibility lies at the door of manufacturers not just at the population.
Janice Alderson

Excellent programme & agree with everything. However I felt you could have directed more criticism at the companies who make the products which cause the litter in the first place, a high proportion from the drinks & tobacco industry. Maybe an extra tax on products which litter our countryside might work.
Trevor Ould

How embarrassing that a foreigner - albeit a most welcome one in the name of Bill Bryson - has to highlight one of the biggest anti-social problems we suffer from in this country today. Why, oh why, are the laws we already have to combat the filthy habits of the litterers not vigorously enforced? It would seem from what we learnt in the Panorama programme that money spent in this way would not only help to clean up our country but also help to cut other types of crime, thus making Britain a much safer place in which to live as well as restoring the beauty we once enjoyed.
Kathleen Hill

Bill Bryson and Panorama have completely missed the point with this programme. The issue for me is the fact that it is often unnecessary packaging that is the problem - there was no mention of the environmental costs of the overuse of packaging, particularly plastic, floating around the country - How about shaming the companies that over-package everything into reducing and/or using biodegradable materials.
Ruth K

The more difficult the Council make it to dispose of rubbish and the more expensive the more likely people are to fly tip. Instead of charging so much and demanding complicated paperwork for traders and then having to clear up illegally dumped rubbish it would be cheaper to make access to the waste site easier.
Helen Tidey

At last someone who has the balls to say that we as a nation are too bone idle to do something about the litter problem. Name and shame politicians and local councils who refuse to act. Lets have more publicity and bigger fines for the culprits and make Bill Bryson Prime minister and Robo Cop his deputy.
Mervyn Bainton

We have an annual village clean up here. We picked up two big bags of rubbish just on our road. Living on the outskirts means that most days we have rubbish hurled out of cars onto our verge, mostly drinks containers and junk food packaging. A deposit system for the drinks containers and a ban on polystyrene packaging would help enormously.
Elaine Coker

I regularly cycle the smaller lanes of Surrey. I cannot believe the rubbish and fly-tipping that you can see everywhere - I fully support the Bill Bryson campaign. How can the average man in the street be given more 'power' to enforce litter rules. If you have ever tried asking someone to pick up their litter in my locale then you wont do it again!!
Jeremy White

While the individual issues may be a valid concern I feel it is simply another example of the BBC preaching to us about the environment. Barely a day goes by when the BBC does not produce some report or program that talks up these issues. It's boring, cheap and political television.
Nick

It's often not easy to dispose of litter in urban areas because of the lack of litter bins - tighter security measures have meant far fewer bins than in the past. These days you often have to hunt for a litter bin.
Tony Bastow

Congratulations to Bill Bryson for his excellent comments and examples of how to make a difference to the problem of litter in the UK. If every council followed the example of Carmarthen and Middlesbrough we could at least start to solve the problem. Joan Ruddock and DEFRA need to realise how many people in Britain feel strongly about this issue and move to take action instead of making excuses about the issue.
Lynne Fox

We have recently returned to the UK after 16 years abroad. This program encapsulated our first impressions of being back here. In Australia, the whole country is involved in 'Clean Up Australia Day', could something like that work here? My other thought from the program is that there is a deep rooted fundamental problem at a social level if only enforcement of fines and prosecutions will goad people into doing the right thing!
David Herring

Really great to find someone else with similar views to myself on litter in the UK. Have been litter picking on roads around my area for past few years now and it does work. I hope your programme spurs more people on to take responsibility for an area near them.
John Naylor

It was disappointing to hear the Panorama presenter playing down Bill Bryson's important message at the end of the programme. For too long, thoughtless behaviour has been allowed to degrade standards and spoil the environment. Thank you Bill for speaking out.
Hilary Martin

Thank you Bill for an excellent programme. I hope the politicians sit up and take notice! Sadly, Britain is not even beautiful from the ankles up. In winter, our trees are festooned with plastic bags. (In the summer, the leaves help to hide this gruesome sight.)
Roland Backhouse

Having just watched the Panorama program - 'Notes on a Dirty Island' it was interesting to note how many statistics regarding illegal dumping have been compiled compared to the very small number of prosecutions. I find this quite disconcerting. Recently I came across a illegally dumped pile of rubbish and emailed the council but I received no response. Very annoying!
Chris Duffy

Thank you Bill Bryson and the BBC for highlighting such a serious problem in the UK. I am constantly frustrated by the lack of legal enforcement against those who drop litter. Not only do I see children and teenagers frequently littering Britain's streets, but plenty of adults too. have confronted litter droppers on several occasions and their response is aggressive and even physically threatening. The area in which I live is particularly affected by rubbish, and it does make the streets appear dangerous and rife with criminality, not to say depressing. Local councils - take action!
Lydia Davidson

I too am incensed by litter and do litter collecting on a voluntary basis in my locality, collecting rubbish, bottles and cans. The cans I crush and take to a local metal dealer. The money raised goes to charity. So far I have raised £100 this year.
James Tew

I watched the programme with great interest as I absolutely detest seeing anyone throw rubbish in the street and more so when it is an adult accompanied with children. If you have rubbish, find a bin or take it home, it's as simple as that and children should be taught by their parents from a very young age how to dispose of unwanted items. My children never once threw rubbish in the street. I realise that the councils have a tougher job on their hands to clear things up, but they do not seem to want to keep up to scratch and we all pay our council taxes for what...?? Let's hope that Bill Bryson has brought shame on those guilty and most of all on the councils.
Karine Antinoro

I'm surprised nothing was said in Bill Bryson's programme about the negative impact of current Government policy that seems aimed at making it difficult for people to dispose of litter correctly. Bin taxes, councils prosecuting householders for too much rubbish in a bin or putting a bin out at the wrong time, reducing rubbish collections, and charges for disposing of major items, all send a negative message. What is needed is a concerted effort by Government and local authorities to make it easier to dispose of rubbish correctly and encouragement to do so, not the reverse.
Patrick Neely

The programme was certainly insightful and interesting, however my concern would be that the majority of viewers are in fact the conscious citizens who already "do their bit" for our society and NOT those who NEED to hear your message. I believe this programme should be shown in all secondary schools around the country, in an attempt to educate the younger generation to how the future of their small Island COULD turn out if they continue to follow this cycle of desolation. I work in a school and it was interesting for me to observe the link of how a smaller society like a secondary school can mimic what is happening on a larger scale out in Britain as a whole. We need to aim to instil pride for our nation into our young people, so that they actually have the desire to "Keep Britain Tidy" for now and the future.
Angela Posnette

I thought it was a well presented and well argued programme. It is depressing to think that people will litter and dump if no-one punishes/fines them, or at least threatens to, but I think Bill Bryson is right and that may be what it will take.
Colin Newman

Well done to all forwarding this campaign. We were encouraged to see publicity being given to what we agree is a national disgrace. We are constantly embarrassed by the state of our countryside and city and have taken to carrying a carrier bag with us to collect litter when we go on walks in our local green belt and in the countryside. This should not be necessary. We agree with the programme's view that, sadly, our council does not appear to be giving the litter problem the attention it deserves. I recently took photos of fly tipping at the bottom of our lane, found potential evidence (computer hard drive) and reported it to Environmental Health together with this information. The rubbish was removed the next day, but the Environmental Health Officer with whom discussion was subsequently held did not appear to consider seeking to gather evidence for prosecution. We wish our council would follow the lead of Carmarthen and Middleborough. Thank you for this programme.
Fiona Richards-Buckle

I think Bill Bryson is absolutely correct in his round up of the litter problem facing Great Britain today. One interesting point missing from the show was the disconnect between packaging and litter. We saw Mr Bryson, disposable coffee cup in hand leaving a station. That is the very problem; we live in disposable society with no responsibility. As the lead body for community based recycling in the largest Unitary Authority in England and Wales we find that government continually campaigns against the public and does nothing when it comes to retail giants. The Republic of Ireland has had a plastic bag tax since 2002/03 and witnessed the decline of this menace over night. The Swedes reuse plastic cola bottles up to 10 times before recycling them (on a deposit system). Unless government starts seriously penalizing producer waste - and I seriously think they have not got the spine for it - then the blame game of blaming the British public will continue. The public are far from faultless but for goodness sake the supermarkets and chains that sell Mr Bryson coffee in disposable cups must be stopped!
Shane Logan

Why were smokers dropping fag butts used as an example of litter louts? Could it be because they are easy targets - follow a smoker and sooner or later they have to dispose of the butt. The real problem in London is people using trees as dumping grounds. Rubbish is supposed to be put out on the evening before collection, but in my road it is left by trees more or less permanently, and so passer by drop takeaway containers, cans, bottles, anything on top. No action is taken by the council - I understand it is difficult to trace the source of rubbish bags but to highlight people dropping cigarette ends is really avoiding the real problem. If council officials did a bit of door knocking around where the rubbish is dropped it would at least send a message that it is unacceptable and would maybe make offenders think twice before doing this. Neighbours should be encouraged to anonymously dob in people who do this.
Molly Finch

Thank Goodness someone is taking a stand. The litter problem has been building for years and is symptomatic of a lack of care and respect for both people and the environment. Local councils seem to have been actually afraid of any sort of fine enforcement but I am now quite hopeful that there will be a new surge of determination. Thank you!
Patricia Wood

Thank you thank you! At last! I live on a relatively quiet lane just outside Warrington and regularly collect litter on my way to the local park or shops. If I fail to collect for a couple of days the quantity of litter from young and old alike increases as if to say, 'well someone else has done it so what's the difference?' I have rang the council; spoken to police and locals more times than I can remember but am viewed a moaner or overly concerned with the little picture. The local police promise to focus on this issue and yet do nothing. Well it's definitely not a small issue. People who disrespect the natural world and the streets where they live have little respect for anything. Thank you so much for airing this so well...please don't give up; revisit this again and again and enforce the laws. What right do these people have to endanger wildlife and subject the rest of us to such a disgusting and unnecessary sight. Well done Bill.
Christine

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Bryson during the Notes on a Dirty Island programme. As he says we already have the legislation in place, but what this country lacks is enforcement of those laws together with a deterrent so severe that offenders will think twice before littering again. Suitable deterrents, combined with education from an early age, is the solution to this, and many other anti-social problems plaguing this once green and pleasant land.
Howard Beck

An excellent programme, please, please keep on drawing attention to the dreadful way we treat our country. This lack of respect is generally towards people, places everything. I did notice that Bill Bryson did not mention the high costs of going to the council tips, which for a trader is quite high- irrespective of the load.
Vicki Kaufmann

I was shocked and disappointed to realise the state of the country lane featured on this programme, it was a big eye opener, I didn't realise just how bad the litter problem in our country was. I myself was brought up to never drop litter and i have done the same with my kids, i do believe that your attitude towards this problem is directly connected to your upbringing. Going back to the litter collected from the lane roadside, did anyone else notice just how many beer cans were collected... is this people drinking while driving and throwing the empties out the window.... i saw no pathway on this lane? This campaign has my full support!
K. Alger