Litterbug 101
Mary F. Shinkle, Boone County SWC
Do you ever think about litter? Not too glamorous right? After all, how exciting can a piece of
garbage be?! Very interesting if you try to figure out how it may have gotten to the riverbank,
learn about what it’s made of, find out if there’s a way to use it again, if so, where it goes, how
much it might be worth, how long it decomposes … oh, so many questions about garbage!
So why is littering such a big deal? It’s a HUGE deal because there is still so much litter out
there! And it’s getting worse! Did you know, millions of dollars have been spent to clean up litter
in Kentucky? Ever wonder where all this trash is coming from? There are seven primary sources
of litter:
1. Household Trash at the Curb - When trash is set out loose or set out too early, wind
and animals tear the bags and spread the trash. This is easy to fix! Just place your trash in a
can with a fly-tight lid and place it no earlier than the evening before the collection service
comes. Did you know?… Many counties have ordinances stipulating this!
2. Dumpsters that are Full/Overflowing – Dumpsters at schools, businesses and other
sites become overfull, making it impossible to close the lid and allowing trash to escape onto the
ground. All that needs to be done is to make sure dumpsters are emptied frequently and their
lids and doors are closed.
3. Loading Docks – The loading areas behind big businesses and shipping services often
become covered in packing debris. Docks need to be kept free of loose debris that can blow off
site.
4. Construction/Demolition Sites – Construction sites can become unsightly and
dangerous when debris is left on the ground. It is very important that all trash goes into on-site
dumpsters and any garbage on the ground is picked up, so that it will not blow onto streets or
other properties.
5. Trucks with Uncovered Loads – Hauling loads in the back of trucks without covering or
securing them is an invitation not only to lose some property but to litter on our roadways. This
includes trash tossed in truck beds, as it blows out onto roadways & properties. To prevent this,
see to it that trucks are always covered and keep trash inside the truck cab until you get to a
trashcan.
6. Pedestrians – Areas with heavy foot traffic often become scattered with small trash.
Help stop this by never, never littering! For those who manage bus stops, parks or anywhere
there are benches, make sure there are litter baskets available and placed near the flow of traffic.
7. Motorists – When most people think of litter, they think of the debris tossed from
vehicles onto roads. This is one of the most prevalent forms of litter and though it is an illegal
and ticketable offence, it continues to happen. Again, you can help by never, never littering! Use
litterbags and never throw cigarette filters out of your vehicle.
Where litter comes from is related to what is littered. Think about what you see out there.
When was the last time you took a good look? The Solid Waste Coordinators of Kentucky
performed a survey by actually picking up trash on roadways and waterways to see what
constitutes our litter. The survey revealed most of it was beverage containers and fast-food
trash.
Litter bugs school children, too. They are surprised we “grown-ups” haven’t solved the problem.
Students suggest we “throw litterbugs in jail.” It is a crime after all. The truth of the matter is
enforcement is very difficult, because litterbugs are very sneaky. They generally don’t heave
trash out the window in broad daylight, because people know it’s against the law. People
blatantly throw out cigarettes even though this is a crime, too. Litter is litter, no matter how
small it is.
Students also suggest we teach people that littering is wrong. Counties and various agencies do
school and civic presentations, as well as newspaper articles, cable shows, direct mail-outs,
distribute litterbags at events and host community cleanups. After all this, we still see litter
problems.
Other students recommend having people clean up litter and maybe include the jail inmates.
Fortunately, some communities in Kentucky have strong jail crew programs and many volunteers
that clean up an enormous amount of litter. The truth is volunteers get tired of cleaning up after
someone else. It’s very hard work and it’s frustrating to see it come back again. In one
community, volunteers cleaned up a roadway and someone had littered on it by the time they
turned around to head back to their base!
We’re all looking for ways to combat litter. It’s a very difficult problem all over the
Commonwealth. Those who think it’s no big deal don’t understand how harmful it is to our
wildlife, environment and community image. We continue enforcement, education and cleanup
in the hopes more people take notice that this is an important issue. But we all have to pitch in
and agree it’s an issue worth doing something about. It’s time to care a little more, have pride in
our hometowns a little more… dare I say, love our hometowns a little more? The time for action
is now. If you have ideas about how to stop litter in your community, contact your local Solid
Waste Coordinator.