04 May 2025
Harpenden MP Victoria Collins is calling for urgent action to address the growing problems of litter across the town and the surrounding villages.
Littering in Harpenden was first raised by pupils from St Dominic’s Primary School when they visited Parliament and mentioned their litter picks with Victoria.
Residents across the constituency have since raised serious concerns about the state of the local environment, with one constituent describing driving along local roads as “like driving through a landfill site.”.
Alarming statistics have reinforced the urgency of this issue – 48 per cent of people admit to dropping litter, and More than two million pieces of litter are dropped every day across the country.
Victoria has identified several factors contributing to this crisis, including reduced council waste management budgets, increasing fast food consumption leading to more disposable packaging, and a general lack of public awareness about the environmental impact of littering.
Roadside litter collection is carried out by SADC as part of a contract with Veolia, and residents who see litter are advised to report it to use the Recycling, Rubbish and Street Cleaning page on their website.
Victoria said: “People are rightly upset about the amount of rubbish they encounter everywhere, from roadsides that look like rubbish dumps to litter-strewn public spaces.
“This is not just an eyesore, but a serious environmental and social problem.”
Victoria has praised the exceptional work of local volunteer groups: “I view the litter picking teams in our constituency, such as the Litter Angels in Harpenden, as well as St Dominic’s school, with an immense amount of pride.
“These groups give me the confidence that many constituents not only highly value our environment but have the desire to take action to protect it. Some of these groups have been running for years and serve an important role in the community and I know there are many more who would like to help. I would encourage those interested to join these groups.”
“Our towns, cities, and countryside should not be spoiled by litter. This can be a solvable problem with the correct resources, enforcement and public engagement. I want to get litter off of our streets, making our communities and roads spaces that we can be proud of.”
