Photofits of Litterbugs Made into Billboards in Hong Kong

Industry May, 23 2015 Olga Denyshchyk

By using DNA from trash, scientists created portraits of people who are too lazy to use garbage cans.

For Earth Day, The Nature Conservancy, online magazine Ecozine and ad agency Ogilvy & Mather launched “The Face of Litter” campaign. The public initiative features portraits of people who litter in the city. Volunteers collected garbage on the streets and sent it to a lab where DNA of the litterbugs was extracted. With the DNA samples scientists were able to make photofits of the offenders. 27 facial composites were used to create “wanted posters” and digital banners which were displayed in high-traffic areas. The campaign was attempting to attract attention to the waste problems in the city. Hong Kong annually produces 6.5 million tons of waste.