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University of Gloucestershire has teamed up with Stroud District Council and Litter Free Stroud to unveil a groundbreaking project aimed at combating the pressing issue of litter in the district’s rural areas. The problematic phenomenon known as ‘fast-litter’—characterised by the packaging of takeaway food and drink carelessly discarded from vehicles—has become increasingly evident, tarnishing the beauty of rural communities.

What is fast-litter?
We define fast-litter as:
Packaging that can be attributed to a specific retailer,
Has clear brand marking or identity,
A food and drink consumer-level product,
Found roadside in rural locations.

To classify fast-litter we have produced the following categories:
Fast-litter category 1 (FLC1)– vehicle access, specific retailer, clear brand marking, food and drink consumer product, rural location
Fast-litter category 2 (FLC2) – clear brand marking, food and drink consumer product, rural location
Fast-litter category 3 (FLC3) – food and drink consumer product, rural location

this is a table with fast-litter categories in

Several misconceptions surround fast-litter that can be corrected. Firstly, fast-litter only occurs around the fast-food brand outlets – it does not. Secondly, the scale of fast-litter is small – it is not. Thirdly, it ‘breaks down’ in-situ – it does not. Finally, brands, local councils or Government tackle it – they do not. Fast-litter can be found far away from its point of purchase
Fast-litter has been found in large quantities across wide areas
Fast-litter does not ‘dissolve’ but breaks apart into smaller less observable pieces
Fast-litter is currently not the purview of brands, local councils or Government.
Conclusions
A new type of consumer behaviour is generating ‘fast-litter’
Fast-litter exists in large quantities
Fast-litter has been identified as consumer food and drink packaging dispersed in rural areas from vehicles
Fast-litter can be observed in waterways, ANOB, SSSI and Key Wildlife Areas.
The new phenomenon of fast-litter remains undocumented and under researched

The project’s initial findings reveal a concerning array of items tossed into verges and hedgerows, including vapes, water bottles, coffee cups and fast-food packaging, all of which detract from the countryside’s charm while posing a threat to local wildlife.
At the project’s core is an AI-enabled mobile app and dashboard, designed by tech experts from University of Gloucestershire’s School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences. The app enables communities to easily report fast-litter in rural hotspots, allowing Stroud District Council to analyse the data and uncover significant patterns.

Dr. Richard Cook, Principal Investigator at the University and a leading authority in environmental sociology, stated, “Fast-litter is a growing problem in rural areas. As more fast-food brands offer drive-through options, we are seeing a marked increase in litter across the countryside. “This partnership with Stroud District Council and Litter Free Stroud gives us the opportunity to understand the scale of the issue and use cutting-edge technology to support real change. By introducing a new app, volunteer litter pickers simply need to photograph discarded items on their smartphone. This then logs the location and identifies the food brand that sold the item before it became rubbish, providing valuable insights to guide policy and inform interventions. “As the technology behind the app uses open source AI, there is also the opportunity to roll this scheme out nationally, or adapt it for different social causes.”

Growing evidence correlates the rise of fast-food consumption and advertising with adverse childhood health outcomes, including obesity. However, alongside public health issues, another pressing problem has emerged: fast-litter. Specifically the discarded branded, on-the-go disposable packaging from fast-food outlets. This form of litter not only impacts urban environments but also poses a threat to rural ecosystems and biodiversity. Notably, fast-litter is not recorded in any national waste dataset, creating a critical gap in our understanding and management of this issue.

The consumption of on-the-go food has surged in recent years, fuelled by the proliferation of disposable packaging and drive-through facilities. There are over 41 million licensed vehicles in the UK, further contributing to the ease of litter dispersal.
Given that Cheltenham borders the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), characterised by its rich biodiversity, the adverse environmental consequences cannot be overstated. Current national policy frameworks, such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reforms, do not specifically address branded fast-litter.

Volunteers in the region have collected nearly 750,000 pieces of litter since 2023, indicating not only the volume of litter present but also potential channels for branded packaging to enter freshwater systems, ultimately threatening biodiversity and water quality. Notably, rural and protected areas suffer disproportionately from litter, despite their low population density.
Environmental Sensitivity of Cheltenham’s Landscape The Cotswolds AONB houses vital habitats, including limestone grasslands and ancient woodlands. The health of these ecosystems is at stake, as the presence of fast-litter can significantly harm natural capital, biodiversity, and overall water quality. Market and Infrastructure Context The UK is home to over 53,000 fast-food outlets, with major chains like McDonald’s and KFC reporting substantial profits in recent years. Unfortunately, existing policy mechanisms offer limited accountability for these brands regarding the environmental impacts of their packaging waste.

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Recent pilot analyses in Cheltenham have unveiled critical patterns regarding fast-litter:
Identification of Litter Corridors: We have established links between clusters of fast-food outlets and mobility routes, underlining the significant role of vehicle access in litter dispersion.
Rural Hotspots: Areas with low infrastructure, such as secluded woodland edges and unlit roads, show a concerning accumulation of litter, revealing vulnerabilities in our rural landscapes.
Environmental Impact:Fast-litter is dispersing beyond the immediate vicinity of sales points, infiltrating rural and peri-urban environments.
Volunteers in the region have collected nearly 750,000 pieces of litter since 2023.

WHEN ASKED PEOPLE SAID..

THEY NEVER LITTER

100%

A BIT OF LITTER IS OK

25%

THEY EAT FAST-FOODS IN CARS

55%

THEY BUY FROM DRIVE THROUGHS

63%
5.7%
2025 market growth of fast-food
27.9%
Fast-food market growth by 2030
£40.5bn
Value of the fast-food market 2025
53,000
Fast food outlets in the UK
RESEARCH

RESEARCH OUTPUTS

Without systematic national monitoring of fast-litter, we risk exacerbating its spread into vital ecosystems and waterways, amplifying cleanup burdens on local authorities, and hindering progress towards environmental recovery targets Establish a National Baseline Monitoring Framework: To accurately track the scale and distribution of branded fast-litter. Implement Geospatial Analysis and AI-Assisted Detection: To enhance our understanding of litter pathways. Facilitate Data Sharing Between Central and Local Government: To enable evidence-based policy-making and better allocation of resources. We must draw attention to the issue of fast-litter and its environmental implications. By championing robust measures, we can protect our natural resources and public health for future generations. By taking proactive measures, we can safeguard Cheltenham's environment and pioneer a national approach to managing fast-litter.
Local Authorities Supporting local authorities experiencing increased fast-litter burdens linked to on-the-go consumption Engaging with retailers, food-to-go outlets, service-station operators and convenience chains concerning the environmental impact of fast-litter
Retailers Extending Producer Responsibility reforms to include specific measures addressing fast-litter.
The Fast-litter team is below:


Dr Richard Cook / Principle Investigator - My research interests are sociological and focus upon people and technology. They are driven by two questions: what counts as knowledge and whose knowledge is important? Having technical expertise and skills in a wide range of traditional and emergent technologies, and a curiosity about people’s motivations and behaviours, I collaborate on interdisciplinary research. I have studied cyclists, graffiti artists, large language AI models, classrooms, and, more recently, the social construction of ‘nonsense’.
Prof. Philippa Ward - I have over 25 years of experience in retail and academia. My research centres on the effects of situational factors on consumers, the psychological and sociological determinants of consumption, and the exploration of value. I have explored a diverse range of issues, spanning how and why we consume, our connections with technology, and our relationship with finance. At the core is appreciating how these experiences shape us – our vulnerabilities and well-being – and how we, in turn, affect our environment. I am a passionate advocate for the application of a broader range of methods in research and for transdisciplinarity. These approaches enable us to gain insights and propel our understanding
Dr Ruffin Relja - My professional and academic career spans over 20 years predominantly in the global luxury industry. In my roles as brand and business development lead, I gained a profound understanding of the stretching and retrenching of brands, including the management of brand/product portfolios across lifecycles – applying the full marketing mix. This provides a valuable backdrop for my academic practice and research activities.
Dr Mah-Ruk Fida - My research focuses on data analytics, applied AI, and network performance modelling, with applications in 5G/6G systems, edge computing, and sustainable digital innovation. I worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at SimulaMet, Oslo, where I contributed to AI-based network performance prediction, CloudRAN optimization, and congestion localization.
Dr Bayo Omotosho - I previously served as a Lecturer in Cyber Security at the School of Engineering and Computing at the University of Central Lancashire. I have undertaken postdoctoral research at the Chair of Software Engineering at the University of Potsdam in Brandenburg, the University of Passau in Bavaria, and the Chair of Internet Technologies and Systems at the Hasso Plattner Institut in Brandenburg.
Dr Imogen Mansfield - I recently completed my PhD at the University of Birmingham, where I led a four-year field study on plastic litter in bird nests. During my PhD, I gained policy experience through a UKRI-funded internship at WRAP and industry experience through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie staff exchange with NovaMechanics in Cyprus, contributing to the development of an AI-driven plastic identification app. My interests include environmental monitoring, citizen science, and ornithology, with a commitment to accessible and open science
Eric Torrington - Since 2018, I’ve been a committed litter campaigner and advocate for real change. I use my industry skills to gather and deliver data to decision-makers and calling for stronger waste-management and accountability across all litter-generating business sectors. I believe in the power of hard-hitting evidence to drive real change, protecting the environment, wildlife, and, critically for me, our oceans. By raising awareness and collaborating with local authorities, businesses, environmental groups and young people, I aim to build cleaner, greener communities through government policy and corporate best-practice changes that put the environment at the heart of litter and waste management decisions
Mohammad Chizari - I am a PhD student in AI and Cyber Security. I am developing a comprehensive cybersecurity framework using AI-powered systems. My areas of interest include AI and Machine Learning models, cybersecurity, app development, and data analytics. As a research assistant, I contributed to the RUSTIK project on rural digital inclusion, where I developed the Smart Dashboard to support community organisations in analysing and visualising their data. I developed a new metaheuristic algorithm called the Mouthbrooding Fish (MBF) Algorithm.

CONTACTS

UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE

(C) Fast-litter Research Project 2025, 2026

Future Park Building, Park Campus, Cheltenham. GL50 2RH
+44 1242 714 700
fast-litter@glos.ac.uk

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