It’s that time of year when council contractors and farmers are mowing road verges. Manufacturers can boast that their aluminium cans have walls thinner than a human hair to save on precious metal and reduce weight. This also means that a tractor with a grass cutting attachment can easily shred them into razor sharp slivers.

Is there a solution to this? If there was a deposit return scheme would so many be thrown out of car windows?

If you shredded these on a children’s playground where a toddler could slice their finger, or someone’s precious pug could cut its paws, there would be public outrage. Yet, in the countryside, it seems to be acceptable to just walk away and leave them on the verge.