Peterborough litter picking group finds 1990s crisp packet

A litter-picking group has found a crisp packet dating back nearly 30 years.

The Walkers crisp packet, which had an expiry date in 1997, was found in the Woodston area of Peterborough.

The Recoup Litter Composition & Pathways Project, based in the city, said the packet remained well-preserved, with little degradation.

A spokesperson for Recoup – an independent authority on plastic recycling – said the find was concerning as it showed how long litter remained in the environment.

The group organises regular litter picks and is occasionally joined by the Peterborough Litter Wombles Association.

Over the years, the volunteer-run wombles group has collected wine bottles priced in old money, Marathon chocolate bars, which has been called Snickers since 1990, and rusted Coca-Cola cans dating back to 1978.

Harry Machin, from the group, said: “We find old things and odd things all the time, including rusted cans, dozens of golf balls. We found 88 nitrous oxide canisters at one point and even a kitchen sink.

“There is a lot of rubbish in the undergrowth especially around the city’s parkways. It is almost as if they have never been cleared so it’s satisfying to clean them.

“It makes me feel really good to know we are clearing out decades-old rubbish but seeing newer litter makes me very angry.”

Laura Hutchings, projects and data manager at Recoup, said “It has been really interesting to see the variety of both new and legacy litter we have been collecting from each litter pick.

“There is an obvious need for highly thought-out, targeted interventions for the prevention of litter, and this project will provide key data and insights to help achieve this”.

The group said the crisp packet has been stored in a bag and would not be disposed of.