Brown stains smeared across London – we get to the bottom of what they are

The brown ‘rust’ you see all over London is actually even more disgusting than what you already might think.

The stains, which have a slight reddish tinge, look like usual dirt and grime next to bins and drains.

But it turns out it is spit from a chewing tobacco.

Londoners are now begging councils and authorities to clamp down on the gross behaviour.

Some London Councils have committed to cleaning up their streets and fining people thousands if caught in the act.

What is Paan?

Paan is made up of a mixture of ingredients, including betel nut and leaf, herbs and tobacco.

It is a form of chewing tobacco, and when used it creates a narcotic affect.

Paan, which is popular among the South East Asian community in the city, is typically used a mouth-freshener and is consumed after eating, and it is just as addictive as smoking a regular cigarette.

Why is it so gross?

Many assumed the stains were actually rust or even dog poo – but are now sharing images of their area covered in brown streaks.

‘I am now seeing them everywhere and it’s bloody vile,’ one Reddit user commented.

‘I was waiting for a bus and a guy walks past, bends down to gob in bin, gets a load of brown dribble on his chin which he wipes off and keeps walking.

‘It was paan, or chewing tobacco. It was then that I noticed the brown streaks all over the bin, by the bin, on the floor by the bus bench, around the gutter on the road, up the wall.’

Concerningly, the spit also poses a health hazard, with any airborne disease that can be in someone’s saliva released after it is spat out.

Is London banning it?

Almost 10 years ago, Navin Shah asked the London Assembly, asking if they have done anything ‘to stop this disgusting and unhygienic habit’.

But the authority replied that it is a matter for individual boroughs, leaving councillors to scramble to enforce fines on the off chance they catch someone in the act.

Brent Council has attempted to clamp down on the habit, and announced last year those found spitting on the ground will be issued a Fixed Penalty Notice.

One man, named Utkarsh Patel, was fined a total of £1,167 for Paan spitting on High Road, Wembley last year.

In 2021, the council revealed it was costing them £30,000 a year to remove from the streets.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.