A new technology called Littercam turns normal CCTV cameras into ones capable of identifying littering.
It’s one of the most common crimes in the UK and although it’s a nationwide problem and the vast majority of offenders go unidentified.
Now, local authorities are turning to AI to help with the crisis. A new technology called Littercam, which is being trialled by eight councils across the UK, turns ordinary CCTV cameras into ones capable of identifying littering.
The software is designed to spot pieces of rubbish being thrown from a car, picking up even the small bits of waste.
It analyses CCTV footage, registers the car’s number plate in the case of a littering offence, and councils can then contact the DVLA to help with the potential issuing of fines.
Andrew Kemp, co-founder and CEO of Littercam, says: “There’s a large section of society who don’t believe there’s any deterrent, that they’re not going to be caught.
“They can simply get away with it. But this technology will hopefully give local authorities the powers to do that.”
Littercam technology has specifically been designed with common litter types in mind.
An estimated two million pieces of litter a day are dropped in the UK and among them the most commonly littered items are cigarette butts, which make up 66% of all the littered items dropped, but by volume drinks cans and bottles are the biggest issue, accounting for more than 70% of litter by volume.
