Litter pickers at Barnes Common are a small group of people who make a big difference by addressing waste in London’s green spaces.
London has more than double the amount of fly-tipping waste in public spaces than the English average, with the number of incidents per 1,000 people totalling 50 compared to 20 in 2023-2024, data from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs reveals.
Last year the number of illegal waste reported to Richmond Council increased by more than 1200 compared to 2022-2023.
Chair of Barnes Common Mike Hildesley said the largest problem is litter from road users.
Mike said: “Our biggest challenges now are along roadsides.”
Barnes Common conservationists believe that plastic recycling, which was a long-advocated solution, is not actually viable.
Instead they are advocating for work to make green spaces SLOWER (Sustainable, Local, Organic, Work together, Environmental, Respectful).
The cost of litter collection and disposal for London’s parks and green spaces alone is estimated to be £14.8million per annum, based on results from a recent survey by Parks for London.
Richmond Council has not responded to questions on the volume of litter but they do continue to work closely with Barnes Common.
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Featured image credit: John Cameron on Unsplash
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