Council workers are being put under significant pressure because of litter being left strewn around by visitors to beauty spots, a leading trade union has warned.
Unison is calling for financial support to ensure local authorities can maintain services and keep communities rubbish-free.
Many popular public spaces are at risk of being swamped with waste as people dump food packaging, cans, bags, nappies, and even discarded swimming towels and bodyboards, said the union.
General secretary Christina McAnea said: "More of us are rediscovering what the UK has to offer, but the litter left behind by others can ruin the experience.
"Ministers should make sure councils have the money they need to run all their services properly. The pandemic has shown how much our communities need effective public services.
"Members of the public also need to think about their actions. Everyone can and should play a part in cleaning up after themselves.
"Stretched resources are adding to the pressure on council staff who've gone above and beyond for the past year.
"They're also having to bear the brunt of public anger when parks and beaches have been left in a terrible mess."
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "Littering blights our communities, spoils our countryside and harms wildlife, and those caught littering can be fined £150.
"Public spaces are there for us all to enjoy, and we urge everyone to make sure they bin their rubbish properly or take it home with them."
