National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) - Summary

TOBIN Consulting Engineers were appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as the Litter Monitoring Body (LMB) in May 1999 to develop a national litter pollution monitoring system and oversee local authority implementation of it. The main purpose of the monitoring system is to generate, by means of surveys, reliable data to enable each local authority to measure accurately over time changes in the extent and composition of litter pollution in its area and so provide for more effective litter management planning.

The Local Government Computer Services Board (LGCSB) has also developed a Litter Geographical Information System (GIS) software package to assist local authorities to map potential sources of litter and identify survey locations as key components of system set-up in their areas; the LGCSB also provides technical assistance to local authorities on the GIS.

In essence, the system requires local authorities to:

1. identify / map the potential sources of litter in their areas, using Litter GIS software,
2. use this data to identify the locations for surveys to determine the composition and extent of litter pollution in their areas,
3. carry out "benchmark" surveys,
4. carry out further series of surveys annually thereafter, the results of which can be compared to the "benchmark" or previous years' survey results to measure progress in tackling litter, and
5. complete the appropriate forms for the surveys and forward same to the LMB for analysis / assessment.

The LMB, on receipt of the survey data from local authorities:

6. reports back to each local authority with its assessment of that authority's survey data, and

7. collates the survey results in a national overview and presents it to the department

There are 2 types of surveys required -

• Litter Pollution surveys to determine the extent and severity of litter pollution, and
• Litter Quantification surveys to identify the composition (that is, the type and origin) of litter pollution prevailing in a particular area

The average time to conduct either type of survey is 20 - 30 minutes each. Each survey is conducted along 50 metre stretches of road in urban/rural areas.

Local authorities are required to carry out a minimum number of each survey type - they can do more to suit own local needs. Reports are to be prepared on each survey and forwarded to the Litter Monitoring Body for collation/analysis of results.

The litter quantification surveys identify eight broad categories of litter:

• cigarette-related litter
• packaging litter (that is, takeaway, glass, metal, paper, plastic)
• food litter
• sweet-related litter
• paper litter (for example, bank slips, bus tickets, newspapers, magazines and so on)
• plastic litter (that is, non packaging litter such as plastic cutlery, toys and so on),
• deleterious litter (for example, dog fouling, nappies, needles, syringes and so on)
• bulky litter (for example, household appliances, furniture, and so on), and
• miscellaneous litter (that is, items not covered by the other categories such as twine, clothes, fabrics and so on)

Locations for litter pollution surveys are identified using maps produced by the Litter GIS software package as follows:

• high-risk locations (that is, in town and city centres, near fast food outlets, outside schools and so on)
• random locations - chosen by a random selection tool under the litter GIS, and
• locations chosen by local authorities (based on local knowledge)

The litter pollution survey results are expressed as a litter pollution index for the areas surveyed, ranging in value from 1 to 5, as follows:

1. Unpolluted, that is, litter free,
2. Slightly polluted
3. Moderately polluted
4. Significantly polluted, and
5. Grossly polluted, that is, level of litter expected after a major sporting or entertainment event

The initial series of surveys allowed local authorities to establish "benchmark" assessments of the extent and composition of litter pollution in their areas; comparison of future survey results with the benchmark surveys will allow progress to be measured. In this way, analysis of survey data will enable each local authority to assess the effectiveness of its litter management strategies on an ongoing basis and ensure the optimum allocation of resources to tackle litter.

The data produced by the national monitoring system surveys allow local authorities to gauge

• the extent and severity of litter pollution in each local authority area
• the types, most likely sources and causes of litter
• the changes in litter levels from location to location and over time
• the location of litter black spots, and
• the impact of new anti-litter measures

Thus, the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System is an environmental management tool that enables local authorities to tackle litter more effectively, by providing a framework for consistent and accurate self-assessment by local authorities.