1st Report on Litter Amounts 8/02/2020
Since I first started my Litter Picking adventures in Overtoun Estate Woods in Dumbarton in mid-August 2014, it has been quite an adventure and a challenge at the same time to remove rubbish that blights the environment around us. From that time in August 2014, I also pledged to record my results any way I possibly could; this included taking photographs as well as using certain applications such as PIRIKA and Litterati which have features that allow any user to show how much litter was collected either in units or litres (the latter regarding the amount of bin bags used to clear the litter away. This is especially useful in group-based litter picks). These photographs are often put on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter along with inserted Hashtags such as #CleanUpOvertounWoods, #CleanUpBowling, #CleanUpBalloch, #CleanUpClydebank, #CleanUpSoutherness, etc so that anyone can pick up on and read the posts from the Hashtags. This helps in generating awareness to an already growing problem which can be solved by communities voluntarily co-operating to get rid of litter from the areas they live (as long as the measures do not involve force of any kind, sorry Extinction Rebellion).
Presently acknowledged, the vast majority of trash that pollutes the seas around us come from Third World Countries which then flow over gradual amounts of time via the ocean currents and touch any geographical land they come into contact with. This often explains why beach clean-ups are required to happen a minimum of a few times per year in every, especially western countries, affected by the mess.
The following data I have gathered since 22nd January 2017 will demonstrate how much litter had to be collected over time within the areas of Overtoun Estate Woods (from the green gates beside Campbell Avenue in Dumbarton and the grey entrance on the Milton Brae within the same area) and the Lang Crags located above the estate area during each and every one of my dog walks. Admittedly, especially from 2018 onwards, the majority of the dog walks shifted towards the Lang Crags with the lower parts of Overtoun Estate Woods focused only for a tiny minority of the time, especially in the drier summer months and sometimes in the autumn during any storms that make hillwalking next to impossible to achieve, let alone collecting rubbish up there.
The gradual collection of data flows as follows:
22/01/2017
Glass Bottles - 4 Plastic Bottles - 2 Cans - 10 4 crisp packets
26/01/2017
Plastic Bottles - 3 Cans - 2 Glass Bottle - 1
29/01/2017
1 Can 1 Elastic Band
2/02/2017
Cans - 2 1 Plastic Bottle Plastic pieces - 4 Crisp Packets - 2
6/02/2017
Plastic Bottles - 3 1 Can
14/02/2017
1 Glass Bottle of Buckfast
20/02/2017
Cans - 3 1 Plastic Bottle
22/02/2017
Cans - 38 Plastic Bottles - 5 Bottle caps - 3 Can tops - 2
23/02/2017
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Drumsticks Sweet Packet
26/02/2017
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Can
1/03/2017
Plastic Bottles - 2 1 Can
5/03/2017
1 Can 1 Glass Bottle
11/03/2017
1 Glass Bottle 1 crisp packet 1 part of a tennis ball 1 sweet packet 1 clingfilm 1 bottle cap
13/03/2017
Cans - 2
1 Plastic Bottle 2 Sweet Packets 1 crisp packet 1 screw nut
24/03/2017
1 Can 1 dog poo bag 6 Sweet Wraps 1 piece of Tennis Ball skin
3/04/2017
Glass Bottles - 3 Plastic Bottles - 2 Cans - 2
9/04/2017
1 Historic Jar Plastic Bottles - 6 Cans - 1.5 1 box of iboprufen with a paper instruction manual 1 crisp packet 2 sweet packets 1 Capri-Sun Juice with Straw 4 Dog Poo Bags
8/05/2017
Cans - 28 Glass Bottles - 10 Plastic Bottles - 10 3 metal bottle caps 2 plastic bottle caps 1 yellow lighter 1 plastic marshmallows wrap 1 train ticket 1 drink carton with straw 1 green frisbee 1 green bottom of a glass bottle 5 poo bags 1 cigarette butt 1 piece of a shopping bag 1 shopping bag
9/05/2017
Cans - 3 1 Plastic Bottle 1 Plastic can packet holder
11/05/2017
1 Glass Bottle Glass pieces - 8 2 Crisp Packets 1 Biscuit Packet 2 smaller sweet packets
14/05/2017
1 Can 1 Plastic Bottle 1 metal Bottle Top
17/05/2017
Cans - 2
18/05/2017
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Can
19/05/2017
1 Can 1 rusty metal 1 Glass Bottle
24/05/2017
2 Paper Stirling Castle receipts 1 Can
27/05/2017
Plastic Bottles - 2
29/05/2017
Cans - 4 Plastic Bottles - 2
1/6/2017
Plastic Bottles - 3
2/06/2017
1 Can 1 metal Bottle Top 1 Plastic Bottle
4/06/2017
Cans - 2 1 Plastic Bottle 1 Glass Bottle
13/06/2017
1 Can Glass Bottles - 2
16/06/2017
1 Plastic Bottle Cans - 2
18/06/2017
1 Plastic Beer Can Holder packet 1 Plastic Bottle Cans - 4
25/06/2017
1 Can
26/06/2017
1 Sweet Packet 5 Glass Pieces Cans - 3 1 Plastic Bottle
27/06/2017
Cans - 2 1 Plastic Bottle
29/06/2017
Cans - 2
1/07/2017
Cans - 2
2/07/2017
1 Can
10/07/2017
1 Plastic Bottle Sweet Packets - 5
11/07/2017
Cans - 4 1 plastic bottle 1 small metal necklace part 1 circular orange plastic piece
13/07/2017
1 can 2 plastic bottles 1 crisp packet
14/07/2017
1 plastic bottle cap 1 Budweiser glass bottle
18/07/2017
1 melted chocolate bar 1 frozen sweet packet 1 rubber band 1 metal nail
19/07/2017
1 can 2 plastic bottles
25/07/2017
1 Plastic Bottle
27/07/2017
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Straw 1 Sweet Packet 3 glass pieces
2/08/2017
4 bits of glass 1 sweet packet 1 crisp packet 1 balloon 1 can
13/08/2017
3 plastic bottles 1 plastic bag 7 sweet packets 2 glass pieces 1 crimson ball
20/08/2017
1 metal bottle lid
5/09/2017
1 Can 1 plastic bottle 2 sweet packet parts
8/09/2017
1 sweet packet part
1/10/2017
7 cans 1 plastic bottle
2/10/2017
6 cans 1 plastic bottle 2 Glass Bottles 1 plastic pills box layer
5/10/2017
2 Cans
6/10/2017
5 glass bottles 1 plastic lid 1 screw nail
10/10/2017
1 sweet packet 2 cans 1 plastic bottle
15/10/2017
2 cans
16/10/2017
6 cans
19/10/2017
1 Can
20/10/2017
1 Can 1 Glass Bottle
22/10/2017
1 Glass Bottle 1 Can 1 metal bottle top
2/11/2017
1 Plastic Bottle 2 sweet packets 1 water bottle label 1 empty packet of prawn crackers
7/11/2017
3 cans 2 plastic bottles
12/11/2017
3 plastic bottles 2 cans 2 glass bottles 3 sweet packets
16/11/2017
12 cans
17/11/2017
3 cans 1 plastic bottle
19/11/2017
5 cans 1 tin on a string 4 plastic bottles 2 bottle tops
27/11/2017
8 cans
28/11/2017
4 cans
3/12/2017
6 cans 1 tin 1 glass piece 2 sweet packet parts 3 packet parts
5/12/2017
4 cans 1 glass piece
11/12/2017
1 can 1 plastic bottle 1 curved bar
14/12/2017
1 milk carton 1 metal rusted shovel
15/12/2017
1 large plastic bottle
18/12/2017
Cans - 14 Plastic Bottles - 6 Dog Poo Bags - 4 Crisp Packets - 2 Sweet Packets - 2
24/12/2017
2 glass bottles 7 cans 2 plastic bottles 6 rubber ball parts
25/12/2017
7 cans 1 glass bottle
26/12/2017
1 glass bottle 1 plastic bottle 8 cans 1 coffee cup with lid 1 sweet packet part
31/12/2017
4 cans 4 sweet packet parts 1 bottle tops
1/01/2018
1 tennis ball part 1 coffee cup 4 sweet packet parts
7/01/2018
2 cans 2 plastic bottles
11/01/2018
8 cans 1 glass bottle 5 plastic bottles 3 bottle lids
14/01/2018
1 can 1 glass piece 3 sweet packet part pieces
16/01/2018
1 plastic bottle 1 can
17/01/2018
2 cans
22/01/2018
2 cans
1 plastic bottle 1 plastic bag full of 2 beer can boxes
25/01/2018
2 glass bottles 7 cans 2 plastic bottles 3 plastic lids 1 metal nail 3 plastic pockets
26/01/2018
2 elastic bands 1 full dog poo bag 1 wellington boot 1 glass bottle 1 plastic bottle 3 cans 2 bottle lids 4 packet parts
28/01/2018
10 cans 2 plastic bottles 3 plastic bottle lids 3 sweet packet parts 1 small plastic fruit bag
4/02/2018
4 glass bottles 2 cans 4 plastic sweet packet parts 1 beer bottle lid
8/02/2018
4 plastic bottles 1 can 2 black tree growing equipment 4 plastic packets 3 empty dog poo bags 1 plastic bag
9/02/2018
1 can 4 plastic packets
11/02/2018
6 full dog poo bags 4 cans 1 plastic bottle 2 bottle lids 2 crisp packets 2 sweet packets 3 packet pieces 1 glass piece
18/02/2018
2 cans 3 glass bottles 2 plastic bottles 1 plastic bottle lid 1 glass piece 1 crisp packet 2 sweet packet pieces
19/02/2018
3 plastic bottles 2 cans 4 sweet packet parts
22/02/2018
5 cans 1 rusted metal part
23/02/2018
2 cans 1 plastic bottle 2 glass bottles
4/03/2018
1 plastic bottle 1 can
08/03/2018
2 bottle lids 1 glass bottle
09/03/2018
1 glass bottle 1 plastic bottle 1 can
13/03/2018
4 cans 1 plastic bottle 1 glass bottle 2 bits of broken glass 1 sweet packet part
22/03/2018
3 cans 1 glass bottle 2 plastic bottles
23/03/2018
2 glass bottles 2 plastic bottles 2 cans
25/03/2018
1 glass bottle 3 cans 1 glass piece 2 plastic bottles
27/03/2018
16 cans 7 plastic bottles 8 glass bottles 1 metal bowl 4 aluminium foils 3 sweet packets 2 coffee cups 1 burst yellow football
28/03/2018
2 glass bottles 1 can 3 sweet packet parts
6/04/2018
1 glass bottle 3 plastic bottles 6 cans
8/04/2018
1 plastic bottle 1 can
11/04/2018
3 cans 4 glass pieces
15/04/2018
2 glass bottles 7 cans 1 plastic ice cream carton 1 plastic milk carton 1 hidden dog poo bag 1 metal hook line
17/04/2018
1 can 1 plastic bottle 1 rusted long metal crowbar 3 sweet packet parts
19/04/2018
4 cans 2 plastic bottle caps 8 bits of soft dog ball 4 bits of tennis ball fur
20/04/2018
2 glass bottles 1 can 1 plastic bottle
22/04/2018
1 can 1 metal tent support pole
25/04/2018
2 plastic bottles 1 can 4 glass pieces 2 empty dog poo bags 1 crisp packet
29/04/2018
1 plastic bottle 3 glass parts 4 sweet packets
30/04/2018
1 can 1 glass bottle
3/05/2018
2 cans 1 plastic bottle 3 dog ball parts 8 plastic tree guards
6/05/2018
1 bottle lid part 3 cans
8/05/2018
3 cans 3 plastic bottles 2 glass bottles 1 children's plate 1 plastic container 3 bottle caps
9/05/2018
1 can 1 glass bottle
20/05/2018
5 tins 1 can 1 plastic bottle 2 glass bottles 7 bits of a yellow dog play ball
23/05/2018
1 glass bottle 2 glass pieces 1 plastic bottle 1 can
28/05/2018
4 plastic bottles 1 can 2 plastic lids 1 ball part 1 sweet packet part 1 long metal steel strip
31/05/2018
1 glass bottle 3 cans 1 crisp packet 5 sweet packet parts 2 metal bottle lids
3/06/2018
9 glass pieces 2 cans 2 plastic bottles 3 bottle lids
5/06/2018
1 plastic bottle 1 can 5 glass pieces 3 sweet packets
6/06/2018
1 can 1 plastic bottle
14/06/2018
1 diet cola plastic bottle 1 shoe slip 1 bottle top
15/06/2018
3 black socks 3 glass bottles 2 bottle tops 6 cans 3 plastic bottles 1 rusted metal handle
17/06/2018
1 can 1 plastic bottle of dry skin oil spray 2 tennis ball parts
19/06/2018
1 dog poo bag 1 pizza box 1 can 1 glass bottle
24/06/2018
2 cans 1 wet cardboard 1 plastic bottle 1 small net 3 glass pieces 1 crisp packet 3 bottle tops
25/06/2018
1 glass bottle 2 plastic bottles 4 cans 2 child's socks 4 sweet packets 1 cracked mini roll packet
27/06/2018
7 cans 2 plastic bottles 2 bottle tops 3 sweet packets
28/06/2018
4 glass bottles 5 metal rusted steel bars 5 sweet packet parts 1 broken glass packet 1 large plastic bottle 3 cans
29/06/2018
4 rusty metal steel bars 2 plastic bottles 15 glass pieces
4/07/2018
4 plastic bottles 1 worn ASDA bag 1 can 1 reindeer onesie 1 glass bottle
8/07/2018
2 cans 2 plastic bottles 1 plastic lid 1 metal bottle lid 6 bits of general waste
9/07/2018
3 crisp packets 3 glass pieces 1 half of a can 2 plastic bottles
13/07/2018
1 long hose (left beside the bin) 1 can 4 plastic bottles 4 glass pieces 1 cigarette packet 1 sock 2 sweet packet parts
16/07/2018
1 can 3.5 plastic bottles 5 glass pieces 4 plastic bag pieces 3 cigarette butts 3 sweet packet parts
17/07/2018
1 deflated rubber ring goose 8 pieces of glass
22/07/2018
1 can
23/07/2018
3 cans 5 plastic bottles
6/08/2018
1 Can 1 rusty metal strip
7/08/2018
1 rusty hard disk drive 1 black plastic cover 1 dirty carpet
10/08/2018
14 bits of glass 1 dog collar and tag 1 glass bottle 3 cans 5 plastic bottles 2 sweet packets 1 part of a dog poo bag
14/08/2018
2 cans 3 plastic bottles 2 full dog poo bags
15/08/2018
2 black socks 1 red wrecked clothing 1 plastic cigarette covering
19/08/2018
1 plastic bottle 1 dog leash
23/08/2018
2 black socks (1 long, the other short) 1 white towel 1 can 1 pair of small blue swimming trunks
2 plastic bottles from the new cemetery car park
29/08/2018
3 glass pieces 2 sweet packets 2 metal steel parts 1 plastic bottle 1 can 1 metal crisp packet part 1 plastic lid 1 burnt plastic bottle part
11/09/2018
12 bits of rubber dog ball 2 cans 1 plastic bottle
12/09/2018
5 glass pieces 2 sweet packets 2 glass bottles 1 plastic bottle 6 cans
15/09/2018
1 metal tray 1 bent metal small gutter
16/09/2018
2 cans 3 plastic bottles 1 plastic bag
1/10/2018
3 cans 2 plastic bottles
4/10/2018
1 can 1 plastic bottle 2 crisp packets
5/10/2018
4 sweet packets 1 plastic bottle
14/10/2018
5 cans 2 plastic bottles 4 sweet packet parts
18/10/2018
2 sweet packet parts 1 small plastic bag part 1 small glass piece 1 can 1 used plastic young tree protector 1 plastic straw
21/10/2018
1 plastic bottle 4 cans 2 sweet packets
28/10/2018
1 can 1 plastic bottle 2 paper receipts 1 part of a coffee cup 1 squished coffee cup 1 wet paper
7/11/2018
1 plastic bottle 3 cans
11/11/2018
3 cans 4 sweet packet parts 4 black and white plastic parts
15/11/2018
1 glass bottle 3 cans
16/11/2018
1 plastic bottle 2 cans
18/11/2018
2 cans
21/11/2018
1 can 1 plastic bottle 6 bits of dog ball
25/11/2018
1 can 2 green circular plastic parts 1 white hat left behind
2/12/2018
1 glass bottle 1 plastic bottle
4/12/2018
4 cans
23/12/2018
1 damaged dog ball 2 sweet packets 2 plastic bottles 2 cans
9/01/2019
1 plastic bottle 1 can 1 broken dog ball
24/01/2019
1 plastic bottle 1 crisp packet 1 glass bottle 2 cans
25/01/2019
6 plastic bottles 5 cans 2 sweet packets 7 bits of plastic tree growth guards
27/01/2019
2 cans 1 plastic fruit packet 1 bottle lid
7/02/2019
4 sweet packets 2 cans
17/02/2019
4 cans 2 plastic bottles 2 glass pieces 1 chewing gum piece 1 plastic bottle lid
18/02/2019
4 bottle caps 1 glass bottle 3 cans 1.5 plastic bottles
21/02/2019
2 glass bottles (1 was very small) 5 cans 3 plastic bottles 1 white plastic lollypop stick 1 spray accessory 4 sweet packets
5/04/2019
4 cans 2 plastic bottles 4 glass bottles
7/04/2019
1 can 1 plastic bottle
2/06/2019
3 plastic bottles 2 cans 1 plastic bottle lid 5 sweet packet parts
13/06/2019
6 bits of glass
20/06/2019
1 chewing gum 3 plastic dog ball parts
27/06/2019
1 Green Bluetooth Connector 3 Plastic Bottles 2 Cans
28/06/2019
6 Glass Pieces
21/07/2019
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Can 1 Plastic Pen top
23/08/2019
1 Can 1 set of crushed metal wired fence 1 empty plastic Gorilla glue bottle
*In the 5 days leading up to 23/08/2019, 4 cans were picked up on Milton Brae and 3 plastic bottles up The Crags
15/09/2019
3 sweet packets 1 paper receipt
19/10/2019
1 Shopping Bag 7 Plastic bottles (which were found in the bag)
20/10/2019
2 Plastic Bottles
24/11/2019
1 Can 3 plastic strimmer parts 1 Plastic Bottle 1 sweet packet
3/12/2019
1 Bag strap part 1 Sweet Packet Part 2 Cans 2 Plastic Bottles
13/12/2019
46 Cans 31 Plastic Bottles
19/12/2019
4 Cans 1 Plastic Bottle (from a black bin)
22/12/2019
3 Cans 2 Plastic Bottles
24/12/2019
1 Can 1 Paper Receipt
28/12/2019
2 Glass Bottles 3 Plastic Bottles 1 Can 1 Dog Ball Part
29/12/2019
1 badly used yogurt carton with wet paper
31/12/2019
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Plastic Tree Protector 1 Paper Royal Mail Receipt 1/3 of a plastic bottle 1 clear plastic bottle part
1/01/2020
1 purple Hawaiian t-shirt found in the car park close to Overtoun House 2 cans 1 rusty metal drain cover
2/01/2020
1 single use coffee cup 1 Glass Bottle 1 Can 1 Plastic Bottle
5/01/2020
1 Baby's Dummy 1 Plastic Bottle lid part 1 Sweet Packet 1 Plastic Bottle 1 Can 1 Glass Bottle
7/01/2020
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Can 1 metal vehicle exhaust
8/01/2020
1 Plastic Tree Protector 1 Can 1 Plastic Bottle 2 Plastic Bottle Lids 1 Glass beer bottle
11/01/2020
1 Can 1 Plastic Strimmer Piece
12/01/2020
1 Plastic Bottle 1 Can 1 Sweet Packet
15/01/2020
1 Glass Bottle
16/01/2020
1 Plastic Bottle
19/01/2020
2 Cans 1 Plastic Bottle
1 Can found on the Milton Brae
23/01/2020
1 Plastic Bottle 3 Sweet Packets
Total results are provided as below:
2017-2018 Overtoun Woods results
Glass Bottles - 47 Plastic Bottles - 101 Cans - 266.5 Glass Pieces - 25 Elastic Band - 1 Crisp & Sweet Packet Parts - 66 (included 1 packet of empty Prawn Crackers) Plastic Pieces - 7 Bottle Tops/Caps - 14 Can Tops - 2 1 Clingfilm part Ball Parts - 12 Plastic Straws - 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 Dog Poo Bags - 18 Coffee Cups - 2 Coffee Cup Lid - 1 Balls - 1 1 Screw Nut 1 Metal Nail 1 box of iboprufen with a paper instruction manual 1 yellow lighter 1 train ticket 1 drink carton 1 green frisbee 1 cigarette butt 1 piece of a shopping bag 1 shopping bag 1 Plastic can packet holder Papers - 3 1 Plastic Beer Can Holder packet Metals - 2 1 Balloon
2018-2019 results
Glass Bottles - 63 Plastic Bottles - 136 Cans - 210.5 Glass Pieces - 88 Bottle Caps/Lids/Tops - 25 Dog Poo Bags - 16 Elastic Bands - 4 Crisp/Sweet Packets - 108 1 wellington boot Plastic Bags - 3 Metals - 21 Plastics - 18 Dog Balls - 4.7 1 white hat left behind Plastic Straws - 1 Coffee Cups - 6 Papers - 3 Socks - 7 1 White Towel 1 pair of blue swimming trunks 1 red ruined clothing 1 reindeer onesie 1 dog leash 1 dog tag and collar 1 dirty carpet 1 rusty hard disk drive 1 deflated rubber ring goose 3 cigarette butts 1 cigarette packet 1 long hose (left beside the bin) 1 carpet 1 small net 1 pizza box 1 shoe slip 1 Children's Plate 4 bits of tennis ball fur 1 plastic ice cream carton 1 burst yellow football 4 aluminium foils 1 metal nail
2019-2020 results
Glass bottles - 14 Plastic bottles - 86.8 Bottle Lids (metal and plastic) - 9 Cans - 102 Glass Pieces - 12 Metals - 2 Sweet Packets - 25 Paper - 3 Dog Ball Parts - 4 Plastic Pieces - 14 1 Green Bluetooth Piece 2 Chewing Gums 1 Spray Accessory 1 Shopping Bag 1 Baby's Dummy 1 Crisp Packet 1 Fruit Packet 1 Purple Hawaiian T-Shirt (found in the car park) 1 Single Use Coffee Cup
From the data supplied above, there has been a considerable decline in litter found up the Lang Crags, especially highlighting the time supplied from late January 2019 to 23rd January 2020. However, there had been some increases in the numbers of litter collected in the period from late January 2018 until late January 2019, especially in Plastic Pieces, Plastic Bottles, Bottle Caps/Lids (mixture of both metal and plastic lids) and Glass Bottles, with a slight increase in the number of Single-use Coffee Cups and used-up dog balls found on the ground. There was a unique upward trend in the number of odd individual items found, primarily in the very lower part of the Gruggies Burn towards Campbell Avenue (and then meanders on towards the A82 Dual Carriageway for Strowans Road). During the period from late January 2019 to 23rd January 2020, there were significant days of absence especially in the late Winter, early spring and sometimes in the summer months because of not only my rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis in my hands but also from holidays taken up in the months of mid-May, early-August and September which explains the lack of frequent data in those months.
