New scheme aims to tackle fast food litter

The claim comes after Larne Rotary Club and the council agreed to launch a joint initiative to promote a litter-free environment. The scheme will involve an anti-litter poster competition in local primary and secondary schools. The winning entries are to be promoted at main council venues and fast food outlets.

But at the latest meeting of the development committee, members said there was a need for fast food outlets to do more when it comes to tackling the issue of litter.

Cllr Roy Craig said: “There needs to be an onus on the owners of fast food outlets to pick up litter that belongs to them after closing time. Over the Christmas period, the state of Upper Main Street was atrocious and the litter lay there until certain fast food outlets reopened.

“Why should the council have to send out refuse collectors on a Sunday morning and pay double the rate?”.

Ald Jack McKee said that owners of fast food outlets had a duty to “clean up after themselves” and he added that the council needed to “get on top of the problem”.

Ald Roy Beggs said that owners of these outlets needed to be made aware of their responsibilities when it comes to clearing up litter. And he suggested inviting some of the owners to a meeting to discuss the council’s expectations.

Cllr Martin Wilson also raised the issue of lunchtime litter in the borough and said that school children were responsible for the problem.

“The rotary club’s initiative is a good idea and they should be congratulated for it,” he added. “Hopefully it will be educational for school children and help tackle the problem of lunchtime litter.”

Ald McKee highlighted the issue of council bins overflowing and birds pulling the litter out onto the street.

“I have watched birds pull rubbish out of the bin on Upper Cross Street, and then other people get the blame for it,” he added.

Director of Environmental Services, Philip Thompson, said the council was looking into piloting new bins that would prevent birds from getting at the waste. He added that the new bins would compact the waste and let refuse staff know when they needed to be emptied.

The council has agreed to allocate 500 towards the anti-litter poster competition, which will be launched in February when letters are sent out to schools.

The deadline for entries is the end of March and judging is to take place in the first week of April. The posters are to be promoted throughout the borough in April to coincide with National Spring Clean week.