1. National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Environ Conference January 2005

2. Overview of Presentation n Background to the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System; n The aim of the System; and n Litter Survey Results 2003.

3. Introduction National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) sets out to answer three questions: 1.How littered is the country at local and national level? 2.What are the main constituent elements of litter pollution? and 3.What are the main causes of litter pollution?

4. Background to the Monitoring System  Philosophy: ‘If you can’t measure a problem, then you can’t manage that problem’ (Is it getting better or worse?)  TES appointed as Litter Monitoring Body in 1999 (design and quality control)

5. EMS Approach n EMS=Environmental Management System; n Overall Aim of EMS = ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT  Pro-active, Not Reactive n NOT to Penalise Poor Performance n NOT to Develop Ranking (League Table) n Continuous Improvement

6. Implementing the Litter Monitoring System n Set Up Phase n Benchmark Phase n Survey Phase

7. SetUp Phase - Implementation (Once Off) n Identify all locations of potentially polluting buildings and sites; n Assign to ‘Class’ and ‘Category’; and n Map Generators onto digital maps (using the Litter Monitoring GIS software).

8. GIS Module Data Entry Module

9. Benchmark Litter Quantification Survey Quantify the litter present. Statistics will show what are the components of litter pollution. Annual statistics may be used to observe trends in litter composition

10. Litter Pollution Survey Monitoring tool to determine extent and severity of litter pollution. Track changes in pollution levels arising from altered litter management practices. Identifies litter blackspots.

11. Litter Pollution Survey Litter Pollution Index – indicates the severity of litter pollution 1Unpolluted 2Slightly Polluted 3Moderately Polluted 4Significantly Polluted 5Grossly Polluted

12. Area Cleanliness Rating 1

13. Area Cleanliness Rating 2

14. Area Cleanliness Rating 3

15. Area Cleanliness Rating 4

16. Area Cleanliness Rating 5

17. National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Survey Results 2003

18. Litter Surveys Litter Quantification Survey –types /origin Litter Pollution Survey –extent /severity

19. National Litter Composition 2003

20. Comparison of National Litter Composition 2002 - 2003

21. Comparison of Litter Pollution Indices 2002 - 2003

22. Findings  4.4% of areas were litter free;  50% of areas were slightly littered, an improvement of 7%;  The percentage of areas of moderately and significantly has decreased by 6%; and  The percentage of grossly polluted areas has remained unchanged at 2%.

23. Causative Factors of Litter Pollution

24. Plastic Bags as a Percentage of National Litter Composition

25. To Summarise: The National Litter Pollution Monitoring System: Is proving a useful tool for monitoring the composition, severity and causes of litter pollution; Improvement has been experienced in relation to the degree of litter pollution nationally; and Progress in implementation.

26. QUESTIONS??