Rubber bands sent back to Royal Mail in protest

More than 13,000 red rubber bands are to be sent back to Royal Mail by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign in protest at postmen littering people’s front gardens, reports the Telegraph.

More than 13,000 red rubber bands are to be sent back to Royal Mail by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign in protest at postmen littering people’s front gardens, reports the Telegraph.

The article continues:

Streets have been increasingly cluttered with the rubber bands used to hold mail together.

Keep Britain Tidy said it was creating an eyesore, and also endangering animals which could choke on the rubber.

In an effort to stop the problem, the environmental charity asked households to send in bands found on driveways or front gardens to send back to the Royal Mail.

In just a couple of months more than 13,000 rubber bands were sent in by the public and will now be delivered in a giant see-through envelope to be reused.

Royal Mail currently spends £1m a year replacing rubber bands.

Dickie Felton, from Keep Britain Tidy, said people were increasingly fed up of finding litter on the doorstep.

“We were amazed that our campaign caused such a commotion. We received hundreds of letters stuffed with red rubber bands from across the country.

“Clearly people are fed-up with posties carelessly throwing these bands on the floor. We accept that dropping an elastic band is hardly the worst littering offence in the world, but none-the-less it is litter.

“The bands look terrible strewn on the floor and pose a chocking danger to pets and wildlife.”

Postmen could face an on-the-spot fine of £80 for dropping litter, with the penalty rising to a maximum of £2,500 if the case goes to court.

The charity now hopes to meet Royal Mail’s chief executive to discuss the problem and ways to tackle it.