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Deadly litter killing wildlife29/09/2008 22:56:29
Swans amongst litter. Credit Nicola Smith/WWT.
Litter rules
1. Don't drop litter - either bin it or take it home with you for recycling. 2. Make rubbish safe - tie knots in plastic rubbish bags to prevent the contents from blowing away. If you can't recycle your cans, remove the lid, drop it to the bottom of the can and squash the top shut - this is to prevent animals from getting trapped inside. Likewise, with plastic bottles, if you can't recycle them, squash them and replace the top. Cut up items animals can get tangled in, like drink can holders, rubber bands or ribbons. Always recycle glass bottles and dispose of solvents and sump oil in specially designated collection points. 3. Report injured animals - a list of contacts is available via the Trust's website www.wiltshirewildlife.org.. Join in the Trust's ‘Spot the Grot' campaign - send photos to johns@wiltshirewildlife.org (max 10Mb). 4. Join CPRE's national campaign - visit www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/stop-the-drop . To mark this year's World Animal Day on Saturday 4th October, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is highlighting the dangers litter poses to our wild animals. John Sutton, the Trust's Senior Waste Minimisation Officer said "There are many ways in which animals and wildlife can be harmed by litter. Animals can be cut by sharp objects like cans or broken glass, strangled by plastic can holders or fishing lines, suffocated inside plastic bags, choked or poisoned on ingested plastics or cigarette butts, or trapped inside containers like cans and bottles." "Every year animal welfare and wildlife rescue charities treat animals that have been trapped and/or injured by carelessly disposed of rubbish," he adds. Ronnie McVeigh, one of the Trust's Wildlife Information Volunteers says: "We have had incidents of people calling the Trust about animals in danger - one incident involved the accumulation of a large build up of crisp packets, cans and plastic bottles at Crammer Lake, in Devizes - the water fowl were not injured, however it did affect the geese's nesting spots." The Trust's Litter Awareness Campaign is funded by The Underwood Trust and linked to the Campaign to Protect Rural England's national ‘Stop the Drop' anti-litter crusade. The Trust is encouraging people to take photos of any litter they come across and send it in to the Trust. It will then attempt to highlight the litter problem to the landowner and see if there is a way it can help resolve the issue.  Minke whale strangled by rubbish lies dead on a rubbish strewn beach. Credit Ron Patterson/SSPCA.
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