Local Environmental Quality: litter
Drug-related litter
Defra is working with other Government departments and agencies to tackle the problem of drug-related litter.
Discarded sharps and needles can cause great distress to communities in which they are found, and clearing this type of litter presents its own challenges in terms of health and safety and appropriate disposal.
Defra has produced guidance for practitioners on how to deal with drug-related litter:
- Tackling drug-related litter: guidance and good practice - October 2005 (PDF) (819 KB)
Defra has also commissioned research into public attitudes towards drug litter, and the report from this work has been published:
- Engaging the community with drug litter campaigns (PDF) (1.3 MB) - note large file size
ENCAMS has been supporting Defra's work in this area by working with partners in the South West to pilot approaches to dealing with the problems. A report from the work in Torbay is published here:
- Drug related litter - identifying, monitoring and solving the problems (PDF) (1.4 MB) - note large file size
More information on the work of Torbay can be found at:
- Safer Communities Torbay (on Torbay Council website)
Page last modified: 23 January 2006
Page published: 9 July 2004