Pitching up for litter

The average distance New Zealanders are prepared to walk to a bin to dispose of their rubbish is 8.4 meters; so littering rises dramatically beyond this distance, according to a story by Stuart Mitchell for Ethical Marketing News citing the results of research commissioned by Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB).
Forty four percent of those surveyed littered within five meters of their nearest bin.
But the research revealed that ninety three percent of people think it is important for New Zealand to maintain its clean, green image.
KNZB recently launched an anti-litter campaign after its volunteers, during one week-long clean-up, collected enough rubbish to cover 120 rugby fields up to half a meter in depth.
The KNZB research showed the top items littered in public places by New Zealanders were cigarette butts, which comprised 78 percent of litter, followed by takeaway packaging, which comprised five percent. It was not stated on which basis the litter was measured – whether by number of pieces, volume or weight.
KNZB CEO Heather Saunderson was quoted as saying that the next stage of the campaign would involve its partnering with Stats NZ, the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Conservation, to launch a Tier 1 National Litter Audit that would physically inspect litter in areas such as motorways, rest stops, residential streets, beaches, rural and industrial locations.