Littering may seem harmless, but it’s actually a major issue that can cause huge problems for the ecosystem. Littering can easily be prevented, but the challenge is that it’s a conscious decision that people make.
One of the main factors that affect littering, after all, is people’s attitude toward it. In many cases, people think that it’s OK for them to litter, especially in areas where they don’t feel a sense of ownership, in areas that already have a lot of litter and in areas where litter is typically cleaned up often.
Of course, littering shouldn’t be acceptable in these situations, or any others. Still, it’s a modern problem that has swiftly grown since the 1950s.
Littering refers to any improper disposal of waste products in public spaces or natural environments. It can either happen intentionally or unintentionally and, as mentioned, can have serious environmental consequences.
Below we dive deeper into the issue of littering and what can be done about it.
Types of Litter Commonly Found in the Environment
Common types of litter are cigarette butts, food packaging, glass and plastic bottles, food wrappers and plastic bags.
This could come in the form of trash being thrown out of a car window or on a sidewalk, leaving trash behind in a public place or not disposing of waste properly by throwing it in a trash or recycling bin.
Many of these items take a very long time to decompose and can therefore cause harm to both the environment and wildlife.
In addition, there are a lot of types of hazardous waste that are disposed of improperly. This includes plastic water bottles, electronics and batteries, all of which are commonly found in the environment.
Causes of Littering
Two of the top reasons for littering are ignorance and laziness. People litter simply because they don’t know the true consequences of littering, or don’t care about them, or are too lazy to find a trash can.
There is a lack of awareness and education about how important it is to dispose of waste properly, which leads to littering. Social norms and cultural acceptance can also contribute to littering.
Research has shown that young people and men are more likely to litter than older people and women. When people are on the move, they’re also more likely to litter, such as when they’re driving, riding in a car or walking in a public place.
Environmental factors also play a big part in littering. People are less likely to litter in areas that are clean and more likely to do so when an area is dirty.
Sometimes, it’s just a lack of accessibility to proper disposal methods. For instance, littering is more prevalent when there aren’t sufficient public trash cans or the cans are overflowing.
Environmental Impact of Littering
Litter is a direct source of pollution to the soil, water and air. Plastic is particularly harmful since it can take hundreds of years for it to decompose. It’s especially harmful to marine life, as microplastics make their way into oceans and other waterways.
Cigarette butts also contain toxic chemicals. When they aren’t disposed of properly, they can contaminate the soil and water.
Another major concern is that the toxins and microplastics from litter can actually enter the food chain and pose serious health risks to many species, including humans. This is especially true for anyone and any animal who consumes seafood.
Litter can also serve as literal death traps for animals. Plastic bags and six-pack rings can cause animals to get stuck and die.
Litter also can destroy ecosystems and habitats, which could ruin biodiversity.
Not only that, but litter is a contributor to climate change. As the litter decomposes, it releases some greenhouse gas, such as carbon dioxide and methane.
By promoting proper waste disposal and the reduction of litter, we can help to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
Economic and Aesthetic Consequences
Littering also has economic consequences. Businesses and governments already spend billions of dollars a year on litter cleanup and waste management.
In areas where litter is prevalent, it can lead to property values decreasing, while also affecting businesses and tourism. In these ways, litter can be extremely detrimental to communities in more ways than one.
Not only that, but litter creates visual pollution. In other words, it makes public spaces look dirty and unattractive. This affects people’s quality of life and recreational opportunities as well.
Litter can also cause flooding, as it clogs storm drains and waterways from flowing freely. It can also cause fires when it’s not disposed of properly.
Piles of trash can also be a breeding ground for diseases and bacteria, which can have a significant negative impact on human health.
Littering Statistics
Millions of people litter every day, but the prevalence of littering depends on the location and the demographics of that location.
According to the organization Keep America Beautiful, about 15% of littering is affected by the environment or existing litter. Not only that, but litter typically happens far away from where a trash receptacle is — on average about 29 feet from the nearest receptacle.
Littering is also much more prevalent among people who are 30 years old or younger.
No matter who litters or where it’s done, though, almost all of it is done with intent. Keep America Beautiful found that 81% of all littering is done with “notable intent.”
The Problem of Plastic Litter
Plastic litter is a huge problem, particularly for oceans and marine life.
Millions of tons of plastic litter enters oceans every year, around the world. Many projections unfortunately predict that this problem is going to get much worse, with some estimates saying there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.
A big problem with plastics is they take hundreds of years to decompose. Plastic water bottles, for instance, take about 450 years to fully decompose, which means they have a long-lasting negative impact on marine life and ecosystems.
Plastic litter can trap marine life and can also be ingested by them, both of which can cause them to die.
Reducing plastic waste is obviously a major solution to the problem. This can include reducing the usage of plastic as much as possible, and then recycling it whenever possible.
Businesses and governments can play a role in this, implementing programs and policies to reduce plastic waste and increase recycling.
Cigarette Butts: A Common Type of Litter
While smoking rates have dropped across the U.S. in recent years, cigarette butts are still commonly littered. In fact, the KAB organization says that cigarette butts are the most frequently littered items, comprising about 38% of all roadway litter.
It’s a problem among smokers of all demographics, with a staggering 65% of smokers littering. It’s not just the attitudes of smokers, though, but also the availability of proper ash receptacles.
The problem with cigarette butts is they can take as much as 10 years to decompose. And since they might contain toxic chemicals, they can do plenty of damage to the environment in the meantime — polluting soil, water and harming wildlife, too.
A major solution to this problem is to provide sufficient ash receptacles for people so they can properly dispose of cigarette butts. Beyond that, though, smoking cessation programs can help reduce how many cigarette butts are littered by reducing how many people smoke in the first place.
This not only can have positive effects on the environment, but directly on human health, too.
Effective Waste Management
An essential aspect of mitigating litter is proper waste disposal. To do so, people need to be encouraged to dispose of waste properly, and educated not only on how to do so but what the negative effects of littering are.
Businesses and governments can play a huge role in this, implementing specific programs, policies and awareness campaigns to promote the proper disposal of waste.
Recycling, Composting and Waste Reduction
Three tangible ways to reduce litter is to increase recycling and composting programs while also reducing the amount of waste that’s generated in the first place.
Individuals can take action on their own by reducing how much waste they generate. This includes limiting how much plastics they use by changing over to reusable containers. And when plastics are used, they should be recycled rather than thrown in the trash or, even worse, littered.
Governments and individuals both play a role in waste management. Governments not only implement policies and programs but also set up proper waste facilities, such as public trash and recycling cans.
Individuals also need to play their part by properly disposing of waste.
Solutions to Littering
Increasing awareness and education through educational initiatives can help to mitigate the problem of littering. These programs and initiatives can be run by governments, businesses and other agencies — separately and in conjunction with each other.
Governments can take it a step further by passing anti-littering laws and regulations. When people can be held accountable for littering, such as receiving hefty fines if they’re caught doing so, they’re less likely to litter at all.
Businesses and governments also need to ensure that public trash and recycling receptacles are emptied regularly, which create a more inviting environment and, in turn, discourage littering behaviors.
Individuals can also play their part by reporting littering incidents and helping to promote these anti-littering laws and regulations. People can also play a role by participating in community-wide clean-up events, which not only beautify areas but also serve as a great way to promote anti-littering initiatives.
Conclusion
Littering is a common problem that can have significant economic, aesthetic and environmental impacts. By disposing of waste properly, increasing recycling rates and reducing waste, we can all contribute to mitigating the problem of littering.
To do so successfully, it will take the contributions of governments, businesses and individuals equally. Each can play an important role in waste management and can take action to reduce litter and promote proper waste disposal.
Addressing litter is essential in promoting a clean and healthy environment. That’s why it’s incumbent on everyone to do whatever they can to play their part.
