Impact of waste and litter on Stirling city centre outlined

A recently completed audit we carried out following a commission by Go Forth Stirling BID highlights how many city centre areas are badly affected by litter.

Key issues contributing to litter levels in the city centre included the presentation of trade waste bins outside collection windows and domestic waste being left out overnight and out with collection windows leading to waste spilling out onto the streets.

The report also identified that smoking-related waste comprises most of the litter discarded in Stirling city centre – making up 74% of litter items encountered during the survey period. Other common items recorded were paper, fast-food waste, cartons, cans and bottles with many areas affected despite an abundance of public litter bins.

We made clear recommendations in our report, following the audit, and the Go Forth team is now working on an action plan, along with city partners, aimed at improving specific areas and issues of concern.

Brian Rae, our Acting Operations Manager (Environment & Place Services), said: “The data we’ve gathered for Go Forth Stirling will help to prioritise actions ensuring the city centre area is as clean as possible for all those who live, work and visit the area. The findings from the audits reflect much of what we see nationally in Scotland. We know that good quality spaces are good for people and businesses, but if we are to tackle the litter emergency across the country and here in Stirling, we need to all take action together. Litter and waste is everyone’s responsibility. We look forward to supporting further action to keep Stirling beautiful.”

Danielle McRorie-Smith, Project Director at Go Forth Stirling BID, said: “The cleanliness and appearance of the city centre is a key concern of our business community and an issue we’ve been addressing for several years now. The audit is extremely useful in providing us with an evidence-led baseline report on the environmental quality of the city which clearly sets out areas of concern requiring more effort and gives recommendations for how we build on current efforts and move forward.”

The audit, designed to measure litter and other quality indicators affecting Stirling’s appearance, was commissioned by the BID (Business Improvement District) as part of its remit to ensure the city centre is a welcoming destination for businesses, shoppers and visitors.

A full version of the report we produced can be found on OUR REPORTS PAGE - WHERE? and more information on action being taken can be found on Go Forth’s website.

Find out more about the Environmental Audits and Services we can provide.