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LITTER PREVENTION
Why People Litter |
Litter-Known Facts | Litter & Your Taxes
Tips for Preventing Litter |
Litter Laws & Penalties
Why People Litter
Research by Keep America Beautiful indicates that people litter because:
- It's Somebody Else's Problem
People feel it's all right to litter when they have no ownership of the property, but it's not. This is why people litter on highways, parks, beaches, and waterways. - Somebody Else Will Pick It Up
A second reason people litter is they think someone else will pick it up, such as at football stadiums, a mall, movie theaters and festivals. Clean up after yourself. - Everybody Else Is Doing It
The third reason for littering is where litter has already accumulated – such as an illegal dump site – because people feel that once litter is already there, it's acceptable to just add to it. It isn't.
Litter-Known Facts
Motorists and pedestrians are often blamed for litter. There are
actually seven primary sources:
- Household trash handling and it's placement on the curb collection
- Dumpsters used by businesses
- Loading docks
- Construction and demolition sites
- Trucks with uncovered loads
- Pedestrians
- Motorists
You may be surprised to learn that pedestrians and motorists account for less than half of all litter - the other five sources account for between 50-80% of all litter.
Litter And Your Taxes
Litter is not only ugly -- it is costly! The SC Department of Transportation
spends more than a million dollars and many hours annually picking up litter
-- money and time needed for more important services. Local, state and
federal governments also spend money removing litter left by careless park
visitors. Clean communities also have a better chance of attracting new
businesses than those where litter is common.
Quick Tips for Preventing Litter
Here is a list of things that you can do to prevent litter and help Keep Florence Beautiful.
- Set an example for others by not littering and talk to those who do.
- Extinguish your cigarettes and place them in ashtrays or trashcans, not side-walks and road sides.
- Talk with friends and family to let them know how rewarding a clean environment really is.
- Tie papers in a bundle before placing them in a recycling bin.
- Make sure that dumpsters are closed after dumping your trash.
- Make sure trash can lids are on tight.
- Put a litter bag in your car or your parents' car, and use them!
- Make litter bags for your bicycle and give them to your friends too.
- Volunteer to be part of a cleanup activity.
- Report areas where people have dumped garbage and debris.
- Cover the backs of trucks that contain trash.
You can improve your community and feel good about yourself by practicing these tips for litter prevention.
