http://www.lovecleanstreets.com is a new and increasingly popular web-based service whereby individuals can report street scene defects, dumped  litter, fly-posing and other issues to the appropriate local government department.

Operational throughout most of the UK, it is possible to send reports via the web, by email or by text, or directly from a mobile phone of smart phone, uploading a photo if appropriate.

Reports are categorised by borough or district, or using an interactive map. Reports can be categorised by type of incident including:

• crossing maintenance
• dead animals
• dog fouling
• flood
• flytipping
• footpath defects
• graffiti
• gullies
• highways
• kerbstones

…and many more.

Strangely, ‘clinical waste collection’ is listed, but not ‘syringe’ or ‘needle’.

Though of course technically correct, those wishing to report discarded drug litter and needle finds – surely the event that will take them to this service – must be aware of this rather formal classification or risk a report being delayed of mismanaged.

The Clinical Waste Discussion Forum wholeheartedly supports the concept of the lovecleanstreets.org web site service. However, unless users understand and can interpret the categorisation options that are essential to reporting some finds may go unreported, or be misclassified, with resulting delay in response times.