Arkansas has 100,000 acres of public roadside along its 16,367-mile state highway system, 9,700 miles of streams, and 600,000 acres of lakes … and, unfortunately, litter can be found along all of them!
It costs the State of Arkansas approximately $5 million annually to pick up litter from roadsides. And even though littering is illegal in Arkansas – punishable by a fine and community service - litter continues to be a problem.
Common Forms of Litter in Arkansas
Litter Impacts Economic Development
Litter isn't just an environmental issue. It's also an economic development issue. When prospective businesses tour a community, they're looking for a dynamic, growing community where their businesses can grow. When communities have a lot of litter, it simply shows that the people living there don't care about their town's future. If they don't, new businesses won't, either.
This can hurt the economic development of a community. The absence of litter in a community reflects the pride that it shows and really does make a difference. Find out more about littering effects and how you can help clean up your community.
How Litter Happens
It Gets Blown
- Litter can blow out of a truck bed without the driver knowing.
- Avoid putting anything in a truck bed that might blow out on the road.
- Cover all loads to avoid items blowing out.
It Gets Thrown
- Litter shouldn't be thrown from a vehicle.
- Avoid throwing litter out of car windows by keeping a litterbag in the car at all times. Request your free litterbag today!
It Gets Dumped
- It is illegal to continue dumping your trash at the site where a dumpster once was.
- These illegal dumping sites can poison groundwater and kill local wildlife.
- Don't create illegal dumping sites.
Reducing Litter
Reducing litter may be easier than you think! Here are three easy ways to reduce the amount of litter in your community:
Additional Resources
