LitterCam Featured on ITV News
Vehicle Based Littering
The UK faces a severe littering crisis, with councils in England spending over £800 million last year to clear rubbish, much of it from motorists discarding items from vehicles. An estimated two million pieces of litter are dropped daily, including cigarette butts (66% of littered items) and drinks cans and bottles (over 70% by volume). Despite government efforts like tripling the littering fine and providing funding for bins and clean-ups, offenders largely go unpunished, leading to streams of rubbish along roads.
Local authorities are trialling LitterCam’s AI technology that converts ordinary CCTV cameras into systems capable of detecting littering by identifying rubbish thrown from cars, even small pieces. The software analyses footage, captures vehicle number plates, and enables councils to contact the DVLA for potential fines. Founder Andrew Kemp emphasizes that it addresses the lack of deterrence, as many believe they won't be caught.
Campaigners argue the UK lags behind countries like New Zealand and Singapore due to decades of government inaction, calling for more direct action over policies. Keep Britain Tidy highlights litter's harm, including the death of over two million small mammals annually from discarded drinks containers and 80% of ocean plastic originating from land-based litter.