By KLTV Newsdesk –

Keep Britain Tidy targets so-called ‘careful littering’ in bold behaviour-change drive

Have you ever left an empty coffee cup on a bench or tucked a takeaway wrapper behind a bus stop sign? You might not think twice, but according to Keep Britain Tidy, it’s still littering.

And in Heckmondwike, a new local campaign is successfully changing that mindset.

As part of the Love Where You Live Heckmondwike campaign, the environmental charity is targeting so-called ‘careful littering’, and it’s already seeing impressive results: a 41% drop in littering behaviour in areas where the campaign has been rolled out.

What Is ‘Careful Littering’?

New research reveals that 26% of residents in Heckmondwike admit to leaving items such as newspapers or drink packaging behind in public spaces, without placing them in a bin.

While these acts may appear minor or even thoughtful, Keep Britain Tidy’s message is clear: it’s still littering.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy, explained: “You might think you’re doing the right thing or think it’s harmless to leave a bit of packaging neatly on a ledge or bench — after all, you didn’t throw it on the ground. But it’s littering all the same, and the damage is real.

“Litter not only wrecks the environment, but it also undermines our sense of pride, affects our mental wellbeing, makes us all feel unsafe and lowers property values.

“With Love Where You Live, Heckmondwike and the effective initiatives across the town, we’re seeing that by working together, small changes in behaviour can make a big difference to everyone. Let’s keep that momentum going, don’t place litter anywhere and love where you live.”

Local Pride and Community Action

The campaign comes in response to concerns raised in a recent local survey, which found that 37% of residents in Heckmondwike do not feel proud of their area.

National data from Keep Britain Tidy also shows a clear link between litter and poor mental wellbeing.

However, there is a strong appetite for change: 44% of locals say they’re willing to get involved to improve their community.

As a result, the campaign is rolling out a series of hands-on community initiatives, including:

• School-led clean-up events

• Litter-picking days

• Business partnerships to maintain public spaces

• Focused efforts on dog mess, fly-tipping and cigarette litter

A National Pilot in the Making

Love Where You Live, Heckmondwike is being run as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s Litter Pact project, backed by Kirklees Council and major food and drink brands including Coca-Cola, KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, and Nestlé.

The campaign is being closely monitored, with results expected to help shape national best-practice strategies for tackling litter across the UK.

Councillor Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet Member for Communities and Environment at Kirklees Council, said: “Unfortunately, littering has become a real issue in our communities and changing people’s behaviour about this is a really important part of our wider ambition to have a cleaner and greener Kirklees for everyone.

Through our partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, this project in Heckmondwike aims to highlight how even the smallest and unintentional actions can still count as littering. By changing people’s behaviour about littering, we can have cleaner towns and green spaces to enjoy for longer.”

Small Actions, Big Impact

With its strong local focus and tangible impact, Love Where You Live Heckmondwike is fast becoming a leading example of how behavioural change, community engagement, and partnership working can reduce litter and boost pride in place.

The message couldn’t be simpler, no matter how ‘careful’ it looks, litter is still litter.