How many people are irritated by dog waste in their neighbourhood?
Nearly 6 in 10 people think that dog waste is a nuisance in their neighbourhood – on pavements or in green spaces, for example. Litter in the street was also a source of irritation for more than 4 in 10 people in the Netherlands in 2023.
The figures are taken from the Safety Monitor, a survey conducted by CBS and the Ministry of Justice and Security. In 2023, approximately 180 thousand people aged 15 years and over participated in this survey.
Litter and vandalism
Litter and dog waste in the streets are the two types of pollution that people are bothered by the most often, while fewer people are bothered by vandalised street furniture, such as litter bins or benches, or by graffiti on walls and buildings. In fact, 7 in 10 people say that dog waste and litter are a source of irritation, and more than 2 in 10 say that they are a serious problem.
| Vorm | Experience some irritation | Experience high level of irritation |
|---|---|---|
| One or more sources of irritation |
70.4 | 21.0 |
| Dog waste | 57.3 | 15.6 |
| Litter in the streets | 43.4 | 7.9 |
| Vandalised street furniture | 18.4 | 2.6 |
| Graffiti on walls and buildings | 10.9 | 1.5 |
People living in the countryside are the least concerned about dog waste
Dog waste is a major source of irritation for 16 percent of the Dutch population. This is slightly higher in built-up areas than in rural areas. People in the highest wealth group are the least likely to say they are bothered by this type of pollution in their neighbourhood. Young people aged below 25 are the least likely to think that dog mess is a nuisance, while those aged 25 to 44 are the most likely to see it as a problem.
| Indeling | Level of irritation |
|---|---|
| Total | 15.6 |
| Urban municipality | . |
| Very high | 16.7 |
| High | 17.5 |
| Moderate | 14.7 |
| Low | 13.4 |
| Zero | 12.1 |
| Household wealth | . |
| first 20% (lowest) | 18.5 |
| second 20% | 18.1 |
| third 20% | 17.3 |
| fourth 20% | 14.3 |
| fifth 20% (highest) | 12.4 |
| Age | . |
| 15-24 yrs | 12.2 |
| 25-44 yrs | 18.4 |
| 45-64 yrs | 15.9 |
| 65 yrs and over | 13.7 |
Less concern about litter and vandalism
The percentage of people who think that pollution and vandalism, such as dog waste and litter in their neighbourhood, are a serious problem decreased from 25 to 21 between 2012 and 2022. Another concern is antisocial behaviour, such as teenagers loitering in the streets, neighbours making a lot of noise, or drug use. Approximately the same number of people experienced high levels of irritation from antisocial behaviour in 2023 as in 2012. The level had actually fallen in the intervening years. Traffic nuisance, such as speeding drivers for example, has hardly changed since 2012.
| Jaar | Litter and vandalism | Antisocial behaviour2) | Traffic-related problems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 25.0 | 12.5 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 24.9 | 12.3 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 23.3 | 11.6 | 29.8 |
| 2015 | 23.3 | 11.3 | 29.5 |
| 2016 | 21.9 | 11.4 | 29.8 |
| 2017 | 22.2 | 11.1 | 30.5 |
| 2018¹⁾ | . | . | . |
| 2019 | 21.2 | 11.0 | 31.3 |
| 2020¹⁾ | . | . | . |
| 2021 | 21.7 | 12.0 | 31.3 |
| 2022¹⁾ | . | . | . |
| 2023 | 21.0 | 12.5 | 31.6 |
| 1) No measurements in 2018, 2020 and 2022. | |||
| 2)In 2021, the category of 'mentally disturbed people' was added to antisocial behaviour. This is not included in this figure. | |||