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A Kent councillor would like to see fast food outlets record car registration numbers on food packaging in a bid to reduce littering.

Joe Howes, a Conservative councillor for Canterbury, believes naming and shaming those littering would make people responsible for their own actions, rather than laying the blame with the vendor.

Counciller Howes comments: “Too often littering is an invisible action as people are rarely caught in the act, this scheme may act as a deterrent as people will become accountable. While it is just the minority who dump takeaway rubbish when they have eaten, it blights the environment, costs taxpayers money to clean and can harm wildlife.

"Fast food retailers, some of which are massive, multinational companies, surely don't want to be associated with the littering of our streets and roadside verges? After all, it is their logo often on the packaging, which is hardly the best advertisement for them.”

The councillor believes such a system would be a cheap deterrent while providing a chance to take action on those who drop rubbish, adding: "This doesn't have to be about spending huge amounts of cash on expensive technology. Certain coffee retailers just use a pen to write customers' names on cups so drinks don't get mixed up. If that works, surely writing numberplates on could also work?

"It is a team game so we need to work together to get what is best. I'd like to hear more from fast food retailers about whether they think such a system could work or, if not, what could to try and help to reduce littering.”

Readers wishing to contact Councillor Howes can e-mail by clicking here.