So why is Litter bad?

If you were to ask the person next to you, “Why is litter bad?” What would they say? You might get the generic response of, “It looks bad, it’s ugly, or it’s nasty,” or “It’s bad for the environment.” These days we’ve all had teachers, or maybe parents, or TV ads and news articles, telling us that this is true. Maybe we’ve seen pictures of animals with plastic six-pack beverage rings around their necks, or their heads stuck in bottles or cans. But what are some of the unseen, less obvious reasons — the things we don’t think about — that make litter bad for all of us?

It contaminates the ground. If toxic, poisonous, reactive, flammable, or hazardous items (particularly liquids) make it to the ground they can kill plants, animals, insects, etc., and in some cases, make the soil generally unusable.

It contaminates the water. If toxic, poisonous, reactive, flammable, or hazardous items (particularly liquids) make it to the ground they can get into the groundwater and spread; killing plants, animals, fish, insects, etc., and possibly find its way into lakes, rivers, streams, wells, or even to a water treatment plant, and possibly, into your drinking water.

It can carry disease. Vermin or insects that carry disease can be attracted to large amounts of trash that stays in place for long periods of time; or there could be medical or infectious waste such as bandages, needles, etc.

It takes money and time to clean up litter. It costs tax dollars to have public works, highway departments, and even prison work crews to clean up litter. There is the cost of manpower, vehicles, fuel, bags, gloves, and other supplies.

It won’t go away. Litter stays on the ground for a long time; until it is picked up or biodegrades. Biodegrade – To be decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria; to break down, by biological means, into raw materials.