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The State of
West Virginia spends more than $1 million annually to remove litter
from state highways. |
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The annual cost
of roadside litter control nationwide is $115 million. |
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Highway litter costs West
Virginians:
- in tax dollars to clean
up public areas
- by detracting from the
natural beauty of the state
- by harming birds,
animals and fish
- in road and water safety
with hazards to motorists, bikers, hikers, picnickers and
swimmers
- by degrading the quality
of life in the state
- in economic development
prospects choosing a cleaner site for new business
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Highway litter
is composed of 59 percent paper, 16 percent cans, 6 percent bottles,
6 percent plastics and 13 percent miscellaneous. |
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The items most
often found during litter cleanups are fast-food wrappers. |
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The
second-most-often found items are aluminum beer cans, followed very
closely by soda cans. |
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Cigarette
butts are not considered when addressing litter cleanups
programs. However, they are the most littered item in
the world and are toxic to the environment.
For additional information: http://www.cigarettelitter.org/ |
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Eight sources of litter
are:
- motorists
- pedestrians
- uncovered trucks
- improperly contained
household garbage
- improper commercial bins
- improperly contained
construction litter
- improperly handled
loading dock litter
- boaters
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A two-mile
stretch of highway contains approximately 32,000 pieces of litter. |
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Any person who
litters in West Virginia can be fined no less than $50 and not more
than $2,000 and may be imprisoned in the county jail for not less
than 24 hours nor more than one year. |
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Persons who
create illegal dumps on highway rights-of-way can be fined up to
$5,000 a day, with criminal penalties between $2,500 and $25,000 a
day and up to a year in prison. |
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WV
Adopt-A-Highway volunteers pick up an average of 4,500,000 pounds of
litter each year. |
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WV
Adopt-A-Highway volunteers have removed nearly 90,000,000 pounds of
litter from state highways since 1988. |
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The WV
Adopt-A-Highway Program averages 1,300 groups, representing an
average of 27,000 volunteers who keep an average of 3800 miles of
highways litter free each year. |
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Businesses adopt
more highways in WV than any other group. They are closely followed
by community groups, churches and 4-H Clubs. The fastest growing
categories of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers are families and
individuals. |
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The first Adopt-A-Highway
Program was started in Texas in March 1985.
- Forty-eight states have
Adopt-A-Highway Programs. Maine and Vermont do not.
- 1.5 million volunteers
pick up litter in 48 states.
- 143,060 groups belong to
Adopt-A-Highway Programs in 48 states.
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Each individual
produces four to five pounds of trash daily, amounting to one ton of
trash yearly. |
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A family of
three produces approximately five pounds of used newspaper a week,
20 pounds a month or 250 pounds a year. |
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One three-foot
stack of newspaper weighs 100 pounds. |
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Twenty-four
12-ounce cans equals one pound of aluminum. |
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LITTER HURTS
EVERYONE! |
