Dropped litter can last a very long time.  For example, a plastic bottle can last indefinitely; aluminium cans 80-100 years; plastic bags will last 10-20 years; and even biodegradable items such as orange peel, apple cores, banana skins and cigarette butts can last up to two years.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has to comply with cleanliness standards as set out in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990). Cleanliness grades (A to D) set out how clean an area should be and cleanliness standards dictate response time for cleaning up an area. Areas are zoned as to the timescale required to bring the area back to an acceptable standard of cleanliness.

The attached pdf documents below, identify response times for bringing different areas back to a Grade A Standard (free of litter) and also shows the various streets within the borough and what zone they come under.

What are the grades of cleanliness?

There are 4 grades of cleanliness which are defined as follows: 

1. Grade A - No litter or refuse 
2. Grade B - Predominantly free of litter and refuse - apart from a number of smaller items
3. Grade C - Widespread distribution of litter and refuse with minor accumulations
4. Grade D - Heavily littered with significant accumulations   

For further information please contact :

For further information on street cleaning please contact C2BG 01495-311556