Okay, so what is litter? 

Litter can come from any type of source, and person.  For instance, it may be an intentional litter by those in a motorized vehicle who discards their wrappers out of a window, a pedestrian dropping litter on the street, or people on picnics not cleaning up after themselves at public space events. 

Another source of litter may be unintentional.  It may come from uncovered truck beds and can be easily blown of of cars, trucks, or trailers. Household trash, commercial trash, and uncontrolled building waste can become litter if it is not covered properly. Litter is also caused by trash from the wind, or animals going through trash that has not properly been disposed.

Why is litter a problem?

People tend to litter because they feel no sense of personal ownership. In addition, even though areas such as parks and beaches are public property, people often believe that someone else parks maintenance or highway worker will take responsibility to pick up litter that has accumulated over time. Because any and all items used in human activity have the potential of being littered, the scale of this issue is significant. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American generates 4.3 pounds of solid waste per day. Based on this average and the state’s population, Missouri accounts for more than 25 million pounds (11,000 tons) of garbage in one day – more than 9 billion pounds (4 million tons) of trash per year.

A great deal of that trash shows up in the Show-Me State’s roadsides, natural areas and waterways. Roadside litter cleanup costs the Missouri Department of Transportation more than $6 million each year, with another $1.5 million worth of labor from Adopt-A-Highway volunteers. The Missouri Stream Team removed 869 tons of litter from the state’s waterways and dedicated $2.5 million worth of volunteer work in 2009 – resources that could be used for something much more positive.

Litter poses health risks and creates roadway and waterway safety hazards. It negatively affects property values, housing prices, landscape appearance and overall quality of life. Litter’s environmental consequences harm water quality and plant health, degrade natural areas and hurt wildlife. Littering is illegal in Missouri and can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and/or a year in jail..

Litter is a personal choice that results from individual and community attitudes. Litter prevention ultimately depends on the public’s sense of ownership for their environment: people are more likely to dispose of trash properly when they feel personally responsible for maintaining clean and beautiful public areas.

Who is Littering?

There is no such thing as a single “littering type.” People of all ages and social backgrounds have been observed littering — men and women, children, and all ages in between are likely to litter.

Educate others!

Education is a vital tool to help reduce littering.  Encourage others to refrain from overfilling garbage bins.  Wind can easily blow an overfilled bin’s lid open and disperse the trash throughout the neighborhood.  Post reminders on community bulletin boards on the effects of littering and how to reduce littering.  Educate children on proper disposal of trash and the detrimental effects caused by littering.  According to a KAB (Keep American Beautiful, Inc) study, “Most littering behavior—81%—occurred with notable intent. This included dropping (54%), flick/fling of the item (20%), and other littering with notable intent (7%).”  Education is key in preventing these carless habits.

Where do People Litter?

Areas most likely to be littered fall into four categories: special event venues, roadways and highways, high traffic and everyday locations, and what is referred to as “Transition Points.”

Special event venues such as fairs, concerts, carnivals and other special events attract a large number of people who will generate waste. The larger the event, the more waste it typically creates. Simple steps can help reduce event waste and litter:

• Involve event planners and vendors in having a “waste wise/litter free” event.

• Post signs with antilittering messages for all attendees.

• Plan ahead to assure that the number of waste and recycling receptacles matches the potential volume of waste.

• Place volunteers near receptacles to guide participants to proper waste disposal.

Roadways and highways as well as highway on/off ramps and roadway median strips have increasingly become the target of litterers. While Adopt-a-Highway/Roadway/Spot programs exist around our country, drivers and car passengers are littering these spots every day. Recent censuses report that people spent more and more hours in the car every day. People are snacking, smoking and eating meals while traveling by car.

Businesses like food vendors, convenience store owners, auto dealerships, and auto rental agencies need to help their customers do the right thing, to be responsible for the proper disposal of trash and waste.

High traffic and everyday locations are fast food businesses and deli’s, convenience stores, picnic grounds, park benches and other high pedestrian traffic areas. Every community has businesses selling consumable products that generate packaging waste.

Every community has benches in parks as well as seating at bus stops and picnic areas where people will congregate. These spots need properly maintained ash/trash receptacles nearby that are easily identified. The receptacles need to be maintained and serviced regularly.

Transition points are the places where someone stops eating, drinking or smoking before they proceed. A transition point may be the entrance to a public building, an office, a retail establishment, or a bus stop. Individuals may drop items and create litter before they move into a building or onto a bus.

At transition points, strategically placed, highly visible receptacles will be most successful in capturing discarded papers, cans, and cigarette butts. Identifying transition points in communities, equipping them with ash or trash receptacles, and regularly and properly maintaining the receptacles has been proven to reduce litter and improve a community’s appearance.

What can we do?

Littering is an individual behavioral problem or a business problem that can become a problem for your community. Changing a societal norm like littering begins with each of us. Each person must accept responsibility for their actions and influence the actions of others around them at home, at school, in your place of business, and in the community at large. By modeling proper trash and waste disposal, you will cause others to consider changing their behaviors and embodying appropriate actions, too.