16 Let’s Talk Trash! NOV / DEC 2022 ©2022 -2023 The Keenan Group, Inc
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By the Numbers According to Keep America Beautiful (KAB)
How Long Does Litter Stick Around?
Roadway Litter
Cigarette butt – 5 years
51 billion pieces of litter appear on U.S. roadways each year. That’s 6729 items per mile of roadway across the nation. 46% of litter 4+ inches is packing litter , like food and beverage wrappers and containers. 38% of roadway litter is tobacco products. 22% is paper, and 19% is plastic. 52% of roadway litter is from individual actions by motorists. 8% is from pedestrians, 16.4% is from improperly covered trucks and cargo loads, and the remaining 8.8% comes from other behaviors. Economic Impact $11.5 billion goes into litter clean-up costs each year, with businesses paying $9.1 billion of this. The other $2.4 billion is paid by local and state governments, schools, and other organizations. Property values decrease by 7% with the presence of litter in a community.
Plastic grocery bag – 20 years
Tin can – 50 years
Styrofoam cup – 50 years
Aluminum can – 200 years
Plastic bottle – 450 years Glass bottle – 1 million years
81% of littering occurs with notable intent.
Individuals ages 30 and under are more likely to litter t han those who are older.
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