by Chris Cutmore

newsdesk@croydonadvertiser.co.uk

Croydon's town centre McDonald's restaurants may be popular, but its customers are creating a super-sized problem for the town – litter.

In just one hour, a reporter for the Advertiser was able to collect a whole bin-liner full of McDonald's burger wrappings, drinks cartons, fries boxes, paper bags, straws and plastic lids.

Now there are calls for the chain to do more to stop its customers turning the town centre into a big rubbish bin.

Street cleaner Ricky Young, of Veolia Environmental Services, the firm contracted by Croydon Council to clean Croydon streets, said: "McDonald's is definitely the worst for litter. I think they should come out and pick up their own rubbish."

Cllr Phil Thomas, the council's cabinet member for environment and highways, said: "The problem is with the fast food society. People go out and buy food late at night and once they've finished just dump it over the nearest wall or in the street. The problem is with a small minority who couldn't care less. If we catch these people then we will prosecute, but it's a difficult task."

And Shasha Khan, of the Croydon Green Party, said that action should be taken against McDonald's to combat the problem, such as putting limits on packaging.

He added: "It is concerning that people are happy just to litter.

"We need more litter education coupled with enforcement."

But a spokesman for McDonald's said the company had done more than most fast food companies to tackle litter.

He said: "We ask all customers to dispose of their litter responsibly and provide plenty of bins both in and around our restaurants.

"Each restaurant is expected to send out a minimum of three litter patrols each day which clear all litter – not just McDonald's – up to 100 metres from the restaurant, and we are currently trialling full time litter pickers in Birmingham and Manchester."

Keep Britain Tidy, the environmental charity, last week revealed that 29 per cent of all fast food litter on Britain's streets was McDonald's waste.

But in Croydon, it seems the burger chain is contributing far more.

Other brands named include Gregg's the bakers, Pret A Manger, Burger King and KFC. However, the Advertiser found only a small amount of litter generated by each of these brands compared to the whole bin bag of rubbish McDonald's created.

Phil Barton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: "We condemn litterers for dropping this fast food litter in the first place, but also believe the results have pertinent messages for the fast food industry.

"We know from working with McDonald's in the past that the company takes a responsible attitude to its communities by running local anti-litter campaigns. However, McDonald's litter remains all too prevalent on our streets and we'd like the company to do more to tackle the problem."