Keep Britain Tidy has revealed that the bill to clean up England’s streets now tops £850 million a year!

New figures from Department of Communities and Local Government show that the amount of money spent by local authorities in England on clearing up the cigarette ends, food wrappers and other rubbish that we as a nation throw to the ground every year has risen by almost £100 million, from £780 million to £858 million.

Phil Barton, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, said: “The figure of £858 million is truly shocking. It is quite obscene that we, as a nation, have to spend more than £3/4 billion clearing up the rubbish that people can’t be bothered to put in a bin.

“There seems to be an attitude of ‘it’s only one cigarette end’ or ‘it’s only one burger wrapper’.

“All those individual items mount up to an estimated two million pieces of litter a day dropped in England.

“We all complain when we see what is perceived to be wasteful spending in organisations and institutions and yet we, as a country, seem to be quite happy to throw litter and, consequently, money away.

“It is time for everyone in this country to clean up their act. A change in everyone’s behaviour will save money but it will also make this country a cleaner, greener and better place to live in.”

Keep Britain Tidy is asking everyone to examine their behaviour and think twice before throwing litter on the floor and if they see an empty crisp packet or drinks can on the floor, pick it up and put it in a bin.

However posters launched as part of the campaign (such as the one pictured) have been branded too saucy by some, with Marie Claire of the Plain English Campaign labelling it “childish and immature.”

She said: “Do they think we all have filthy minds? Maybe we should start a ‘Keep it clean’ campaign for them.”

Keep Britain Tidy has previously been criticised for its “trim my bush” posters.