Cleaner countryside

Litter spoils our enjoyment of the countryside and can be harmful for wildlife and people. We’re working towards a litter-free countryside for everyone. CPRE has long campaigned for a Deposit Return Scheme for all drinks containers to act as a deterrent to littering and boost recycling rates.

Here in Staffordshire, we have organised ‘Green Cleans’ with Stafford Litter Heroes to collect data in support of a DRS. In 2019, volunteers at Marquis Drive (including Amanda Milling, MP for Cannock Chase) collected 64 plastic bottles, 89 cans and 59 glass bottles of varying sizes in just 1.5 hours. In 2018, we collected 142 plastic bottles, 175 cans and 72 glass bottles, plus several bags of general rubbish, from along the River Sow in Stafford town centre.