In total, 1247 bags of litter were filled as part of the council’s It’s Your Place campaign which aims to encourage all residents to respect their local community spaces.

Councillor Robert Brown, the council’s Chair of Community & Enterprise Resources, said: “Despite the positive message we are hoping everyone will take on board, clean-up teams had to be sent out for 30 days, clearing more than 78 miles of roads and verges in and around the Clydesdale, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Larkhall, Stonehouse and Strathaven areas.

“And this year the council had to again use additional staff, set up temporary road restrictions and dispose of the five tonnes of rubbish, at a total cost of £42,364 this year alone.

“This is time and expense that could have been used to deliver more positive services for the community.”

All this can easily be avoided if everyone just correctly disposes of their litter at any of the council’s waste recycling centres, litter bins across South Lanarkshire or just taken home and disposed of using the correct wheelie bin.

Roadside litter has become one of the biggest issues in Scotland. Not only is littering illegal and unsightly, but it also poses a danger to wildlife. As well as the obvious dangers of broken glass and sharp plastics, animals can also easily get stuck inside bottles and food containers.

Kevin Carr, the head of the council’s Facilities, Waste and Grounds Services, said: “Although we did uplift slightly less roadside litter again this year, the problem is still significant with some areas a lot worse than they have been in previous years.

“So, we again urge everyone in our communities to help by not discarding rubbish in the first place.”

More information on what can be done to combat litter and fly-tipping, advice on how to report local issues, and details of how the council can help with community clean-up events are available on our fly-tipping information pages.

Penalties for those caught dropping litter range from £80, while the illegal dumping of waste carries fines from £500, as well as the potential for criminal charges and even a prison sentence for the worst offenders.