Inside Slough's litter epidemic: Where is it all going wrong?

Littering is an issue that has plagued the town for many years - with some saying it has only gotten worse after the change to biweekly bins last June.

The Observer has run multiple stories on fly tipping, litter and overflowing bins - with some wheelie bins even having been stolen last year.

In 2021 one woman saw the litter issue and decided to act. Tirza Meinema formed the Slough Anti-Litter Society and quickly welcomed on board other volunteers who would go out monthly to help combat the issue.

But does the root of the problem lay with the council and the local amenities, or with the people?

I headed out with Tirza on a sunny Tuesday afternoon to get a feel for the issue.

On first visiting Lascelles Park - which is a known litter hotspot - I could understand that to the average park visitor littering may not feel like an enormous issue, but when you take a closer look it is clear rubbish is everywhere.

From sweet rappers in the children's play area, to a whiskey bottle buried in the ground and even NOx cannisters dropped in bushes - we began to uncover the problem.

Mere feet from most of our finds was a bin, offering no excuse for carelessly dropping of the items.

Each bin appeared well maintained and had not been left to overspill.

Further throughout the litter pick we found items such as a vape, ripped up paper and even a sanitary pad.

Litter had been blown into bushes in some places, creating a build-up where we were clearing the area for some time.

A pile of broken up bread was also found, which Tirza said would attract rats.

It also became evident that in several locations the homeless had set up camp. When situations like this arise, litter pickers respect the individual by not removing their items or disturbing them.

Seeing the issue first hand so close to bins, I asked Tirza what she believes would help the issue.

Tirza said that there needs to be better education around litter dropping at all levels.

"Lots of people do not know that they should not litter. They may come from other cultures where it is much more normal. It may be a combination of everything - old, young, homeless etc.

"There are enough bins. It speaks as proof that no matter how many bins there are people will still litter.

"It is not just Slough that has this problem, it is the whole of the UK."

Asking whether the biweekly bin change has affected the litter in the area, she added: "I think people needed to get used to it, but you can't use it as an excuse."

Lowisa Drif was at the play area with her two children when she noticed Tirza and I litter picking and thanked us for our help in the community.

She told The Observer: "Sometimes it [the litter] is bad. Some parents and children do not care about the bins."

Lowisa's daughter also added that littering isn't good, with her school having recently educated her year group on how plastic takes up to 500 years to decompose.

As we continued many passers by gave us thumbs up and thanked us.

Tirza said: "People think that you are doing a good job but they won't do it themselves."

There also seemed to be some confusion, with the public mistaking Tirza in her hi-vis as a worker from Slough Borough Council.

Other areas of Slough known to have issues with litter include the Slough Arm Canal and Wellington Street and the area around the train station. 

Daniel Ciecielag, 42, said: "Even in central Slough there is lots of litter every week - the Council don't always come and clean it.

"It can be dangerous when there is glass and rats.

"Both the council and the people are at fault. The people are at fault for dropping the litter, but the council aren't cleaning it up properly.

"There does need to be more education.

"I try and clean the area every Saturday, but it shouldn't be up to us."

Daniel has lived in Slough for 20 years and noticed littering getting worse in 2021.

Researchers from the University of Reading visited Slough on Sunday, April 21, to undertake a Community Led Research Project into littering in the town.

Over 20 attendees took part in discussion on behaviour change research and Slough-specific littering issues, with a goal to develop a roadmap for tackling littering in Slough. ️

It forms part of a partnership with the British Science Association, in which the University are aiding the Slough Anti-Litter Society to map litter and encourage behavioural change.

Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles is helping lead the research. She said: "I think littering is a thing all over the country. If you look at councils across the country, they are looking at littering being a major issue. 

"We are doing this research to find out why people litter. The research will last until the end of the year.

"Is it a group mentality, is it the dynamics of where you live or if you live in an area with a lot of litter you throw it too. We want to know what is happening, but also strengthen the community and the social responsibility.

"We are supporting the Slough groups to explore this and, if they want to, go to the local council with their findings."

A Slough Borough Council spokesperson said: "We place litter bins in areas where there is high public footfall and we have a street cleaning team who empty the bins and carry out litter picks.

“Everybody can play their part in reducing litter in the town, by ensuring they put their rubbish in a bin, or take it home with them if there isn’t one nearby. Children learn from adults, so we can set a good example to them from an early age to be responsible and not litter.

“If residents feel there is a particular need for more bins in certain areas, or there is a litter problem, they can submit our online form at slough.gov.uk/xfp/form/145”