Leven school pupils have helped launch an initiative urging drivers to give their litter a lift home.
Youngsters from Parkhill Primary have joined forces with Fife Council and Keep Scotland Beautiful, as well as their local McDonald’s restaurant, in a bid to stop people from throwing rubbish from their car windows.
The move follows an increase in roadside litter, said to be spoiling the environment for locals and visitors.
It also comes after a recent YouGov poll found 91% of people believe roadside litter is creating a negative impression of Scotland.
Complaints increased in Leven after McDonald’s opened a branch earlier this year and empty cartons and coffee cups were found strewn on the beach.
Road users have now been reminded to take personal responsibility for their rubbish and simply take it home.
Labour Councillor Colin Davidson, vice-convener of Levenmouth area committee, said: “The litter strewn on Leven’s roadsides is coming from drivers who are not disposing of their rubbish appropriately.
“Roadside litter is difficult and dangerous to clean up.
“We ask that people take responsibility for their litter and dispose of it in a bin or take it home with you.
“We don’t want our town blighted with litter.
“We want it to be a beautiful place that locals can be proud of and tourists are keen to visit.”
McDonald’s franchisee Jimmy Patrick, who owns and operates six branches in Fife, including Leven, said he was pleased to be working on the new initiative.
“As a business McDonald’s understands the important role we play in keeping the local area an enjoyable place to live, work and visit.
“We’re also making improvements in-store too, with all restaurants in Scotland having front-of-house recycling facilities which all packaging, including paper cups, can be separated in order for them to be recycled.”
Keep Scotland Beautiful’s roadside litter campaign officer, Georgina Massouraki, praised McDonald’s and the council for their proactive approach.
“Our monitoring shows that over half of the litter on Scotland’s roads comes from people eating and drinking in their vehicles,” she said.
“It is the bad habits of the few that create this problem.
“We hope that our campaign will help encourage them to do the right thing.”
