Interactive dashboard published to present local environmental quality data

For more than two decades we have audited and collected data from across Scotland to evidence the long-term trends of the quality of our local environments, our streets and open spaces. But this year (2023/2024), for the first time we are able to present the data collected from 12,808 individual sites in an interactive dashboard, allowing you to navigate the data yourself to help you understand the litter issues across Scotland as well as the other indicators we record.   

Our trained surveyors are out in rain, wind and sun collecting information on levels of litter, dog fouling, flytipping, flyposting, and graffiti.  Teamed with data collected by local authorities we are able to understand the national picture and trends.  Our data is used to support local authorities to target cleaning activity and used to evidence the need for policy and legislation change and public campaigns as we record new litter trends emerge; single use masks in 2020 – 2021 and single-use vapes becoming the fastest growing litter type last year.

Brian Rae, our Operations Manager said, “We are delighted to present our data this year in the form of an interactive dashboard – utilising the power of technology to help you understand the challenges Scotland faces.

“Positively, for the second year running the proportion of sites with acceptable amounts of litter have increased compared to the year before.   However, the national picture is still one which is worse than pre-pandemic surveys – with only 28% of sites being recorded as litter free. I'd like to thank all those that we work with, communities and duty bodies, for all they do to keep Scotland beautiful. 

“We are seeing the majority of sites still impacted by litter, and this rises in areas of higher levels of deprivation.    Once again smoking related items, including single-use vapes are the most common litter type recorded both in frequency of sites and proportion of items counted.  While a quarter of litter recorded is food and drink packaging.  This is one of the reasons we have called for strong leadership around Extended Producer Responsibility.” 

Visit the interactive dashboard and check out our latest reports to see how public perception and data from ground litter surveys can be used to push for change both inspiring community action and campaigning for regulatory and legislative change.