As summer approaches, people across Northern Ireland are enjoying the warmer weather and engaging in outdoor activities. However, this can result in increased littering, which can prove harmful to humans, animals, and the environment.

Here are just ten reasons to avoid littering this summer:

It Pollutes the Environment

Litter can have a catastrophic effect on the environment. It can be blown into rivers, oceans, lakes or forests and pollute water, land, soil, forest or aquatic environments. This is particularly dangerous if the litter contains materials or chemicals that are deemed toxic.

Litter Affects Wildlife and Animals

Wildlife often mistake litter for food. If consumed, litter can, over time, reduce their stomach capacity, which can eventually kill them.

It Causes Physical Harm

Any discarded item can become litter and can cause physical harm to both humans and animals. Items such as needles and broken glass are a key source of physical harm. Litter that contains sharp objects or is poisonous can damage vital organs and potentially kill.

It Pollutes Water

Littering contributes to water pollution in many ways. When people dispose of waste in water, it pollutes rivers and lakes. Littering also has a direct impact on the water we drink, indeed, our drinking water is required to go through various processes to remove harmful substances before it can be consumed.

Litter Causes Visual Pollution

Littering isn’t pretty. As well as being potentially harmful, it’s looks ugly. If a beauty spot is ruined by excessive litter or amounts of waste visible on roadsides or pavements, it can affect tourism and the desirability of the destination, as well as negatively impacting the quality of life of the residents living there.

It’s a Fire Hazard

Throwing away cigarette butts is one of the most common forms of littering, and definitely one of the most harmful as it can spark wildfires that are hard to control, especially in dry wood areas.

Litter Increases the Spread of Disease

Litter can spread disease fairly quickly, and this is accelerated by animals consuming it. When litter contaminates water and spreads water-borne diseases, the health of animals and humans can decline if contaminated water is consumed.

Litter is Expensive to Clean Up

A considerable amount of money is spent by councils throughout NI to employ street cleaners and buy expensive equipment to keep our communities clean.It Increases Our Use of Pesticides

Increased littering directly translates to an increase in insects and pests due to the breeding ground that it creates. In particular, it increases the amount of destructive insects, such as cockroaches and termites.

It’s Easy to Bring Your Own Cup

There are many simple ways to avoid littering and one of these is to purchase a reusable coffee cup that you can take along on your stroll outdoors.

These are an inexpensive and sustainable alternative to the paper takeaway cups that often end up strewn across our landscape.

Kerry Kirkpatrick, Communication and Training Executive at Outdoor Recreation NI, says, “Many of us are looking forward to spending more time exploring and enjoying the great outdoors coming into the summer months. It is important, however, to remember the importance of keeping our outdoor spaces safe, as well as clean, so that as many of us as possible can enjoy them.

“We would like to remind the public that our outdoor spaces are for everyone, so please respect the environment and refrain from harming it in any way, especially through littering. If you have rubbish, please use a bin to dispose of it. If you cannot find an appropriate bin, please take your rubbish home with you and dispose of it properly.

“The OutmoreNI.com website provides all the information needed to explore the beautiful outdoor trails and places throughout Northern Ireland safely for everyone to enjoy.

“The website also shares helpful tips to help keep you on the ‘Right Side of Outside’ when exploring our great outdoors this summer.

“The #RightSideOfOutside campaign helps promote responsible use of the outdoors and offers handy tips and advice on how you can stay on the right side of outside by taking litter home, picking up dog poo, parking responsibly and much more!”