Neat Streets BCP

How drone tech and a disco bin reduced litter by 75%

To design a successful solution, it helps first to have a real understanding of the problem. And to get a fresh perspective, it can help to zoom out and take an aerial view. 

That’s why we partnered with tech company Ellipsis Earth who use cutting edge drone and AI technology to accurately identify up to 47 kinds of litter.  

They created the most scientifically robust litter map ever seen in the UK which showed exactly where and when litter items from plastic bottles to cigarette butts were being left in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. 

Want to replicate the campaign design? Check out the free resources.

The Problem: Why Bournemouth?

The stunning 15 miles of Dorset coastline from Poole to Christchurch attracts millions of visitors each summer, generating a tourism industry worth over £590 million a year. With the economic prosperity though, comes the problem of litter.  It's particularly damaging for the environment in Bournemouth due to the town’s erosional beaches that wash the litter straight into the sea where it can ultimately end up as far from home as Venezuela.  

Local services were stretched to breaking point when lockdown eased in the summer of 2020. Over a million people descended on Bournemouth coastline across a three-day period, leaving behind an estimated 40 tonnes of rubbish on beaches alone, and generating negative headlines. 

Even if your campaign is more down-to-earth, even without drones there’s valuable lessons, principles and assets, for to inspire you.  

Our approach: eyes in the sky

This amazing level of insight provided an unprecedented understanding of what was happening on the ground and meant we could work with BCP Council to introduce targeted litter-busting interventions where they were most needed thanks to funding from McDonald's and their suppliers. 

Ellipsis Earth conducted an initial test measurement during lockdown in March so we’d get an initial idea of litter patterns. They then created their first full litter map based on data from a week period covering the late May bank holiday when lockdown restrictions were largely lifted. The results showed a whopping 454% increase in the total quantity of litter! Even accounting for a doubling in footfall, this still shows a big relative increase in litter. 

The survey was able to catalogue: 

• Specific types of litter (see graphic below) 

• Pinpoint local-specific litter hotspots, for example late night and weekend alcohol- and drug-related littering were noted behind Bournemouth beach 

• Identify which bins were the worst performing – often the small, dark, inaccessible and unwelcoming bins were the worst performing  

• Tidy littering - :  "tidy littering" was observed, one of the most common, and well intention littering behaviours, where individuals attempt to dispose of their litter properly because the bin is inaccessible, full, not visible, or poorly signed.   

The top 10 most littered items during a week in May 2021.

From a faux fishmongers to the world’s first Disco Bin

Based on these insights and our own experience, we introduced proven behaviour change interventions to strategic locations across BCP Council and tested new experimental ideas with the aim of reducing litter across town centres, beaches and green spaces. 

We aimed to shift littering behaviours through a targeted campaign including a series of exciting bin-novations: 

• Glow-in-the-dark bin vinyl and the world’s first disco bin, which lights up and plays music when used! This targeted at nighttime revellers where to bring their litter (‘lucky bin- use me to make a wish’) based on insight that late night beach go were generating more litter 

• Improved bin signage including messages about what happens when we ‘tidy litter’ (clue: wind and seagulls happen) and directing people to another bin if it’s full. 

• Signage to direct people to the nearest bins 

• Voting bins and ballot bins featuring topical questions (is it coming home?) 

To engage and educate the public: 

• Ran a ‘Catch of the Day’ spoof fishmongers stall at weekends throughout the summer to raise awareness of litter’s impact on our oceans in a fun way. 

• The brilliant local litter picking group, the Dorset Devils provided us with a tasty banquet of freshly caught local litter including Masked Rollmops (PPE fresh from the sea) and Atlantic Spadefish (children’s toys left behind by families). 

• Targeted digital campaign: Based on previous insights that young men are often responsible for litter we created a video campaign targeted at them.  

Photos of the different interventions used in Neat Streets BCP.

The impact: data-driven interventions reduced litter by 75%

Ellipsis Earth conducted a final litter mapping survey at the end of August, to measure the impact of Hubbub's interventions. The findings of this independent scientific measurement were striking: 

• Where Hubbub interventions were positioned according to Ellipsis Earth data, litter reduced by 75% on average in surrounding areas. 

• When Hubbub's Ballot Bins were placed in data driven cigarette litter hotspots, cigarette litter reduced by 73%. 

• We ran an A/B test at the comparable East and West sides Bournemouth Pier. The West side had no interventions and there was a 0% reduction in litter. The East side featured colourful bins and cheeky glow in the dark messages for evening beachgoers and generated a 79% reduction in litter. 

• The world's first Disco Bin led to a 42% reduction in litter in the surrounding area. 

McDonald's funded the campaign and local restaurants used the data to find littering hotspots, making their daily litter picks more effective: "We are already collecting more litter in less time", Operations Manager, McDonald's, Boscombe. 

As well as Hubbub's playful interventions, a more traditional communication campaign using provocative messaging was run by BCP Council in parallel. Interestingly, Ellipsis Earth's independent measurement found that areas in close vicinity to the negative messaging actually saw a 10% increase in litter on average which demonstrates the effectiveness of positive messaging over a finger wagging approach. 

Neat Streets BCP has won several awards: 

• 🏆 Environment Award, Better Society Awards 2021 

• 🏆 Communication and Education Award, Better Society Awards 2022 

• 🏆 Best Environmental Cause Campaign, Purpose Awards 2022 

Get involved

• Delve into the results further:

  • Ellipsis Earth’s full scientific report can be found here

  • Read our full impact report here

• Want to replicate the campaign design? Check out the free resources.

• Check out this similar campaign - For Fish’s Sake

• Check out the generating insight section to think about how you can use observations and other techniques to understand how you can tailor your litter campaign.