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Facts on Recycling & Litter

Roads in the U.S. are littered by more than 50 billion pieces of trash every year, according to Keep America Beautiful. Litter not only pollutes the environment and poses a danger to wildlife, it also encourages other people to litter in the same area, further contributing to this national problem.

Litter Costs
- Cleaning up litter in the U.S. costs more than $11 billion dollars annually, the majority of which is paid by businesses. It also lowers the quality of life and causes local economic problems, lowering property values by an average of seven percent, according to Keep America Beautiful.
Reasons
- People litter intentionally for many reasons, including no nearby trash receptacles and no sense of community ownership or responsibility for public areas. Commonly littered items include tobacco butts, plastic containers, paper and candy products.
Solution
- People stop littering through a combination of education, legislation and enforcement, and maintenance to remove litter already present. Recycling also provides an ideal way to deal with litter.
Recycling
- Communities manage waste through several means, one of which is recycling, one of the most beneficial means of dealing with certain waste products. Recycling saves energy and natural resources while reducing landfill waste. Volunteer to pick up litter and take it to local recycling centers to help solve the litter problem in an environmentally friendly manner.

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