Our Opinion: Want to save cleanup costs? Stop littering

Trash bags filled with debris rested on the shoulder of Missouri 179 last week, awaiting disposal as part of a spring anti-litter campaign.

The annual No MOre Trash! Bash began Friday and continues through May 15. Once again, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) are sponsoring the event.

During the month-long cleanup, state employees are joined by volunteers representing youth and adult service groups to remove debris from roadsides, parks, neighborhoods, rivers, streams, trails and other venues.

The volunteer effort alone is valued at a $1 million savings for Missouri taxpayers.

But that accounts for a mere fraction of the cost to remove debris. Each year, MoDOT spends an estimated $6 million to remove litter from more than 385,000 acres of roadsides along 34,000 state highway miles.

In addition to being unsightly, littering jeopardizes Missouri’s wildlife. “Birds, fish, turtles and other animals get tangled in litter, such as plastic six-pack holders and fishing line, and it can kill them,” said Joe Jerek, Conservation Department No MOre Trash! coordinator. “Litter poisons fish, birds and other wildlife and can cost a litterer up to $1,000 in fines and one year in jail.”

Added Stacy Armstrong, event coordinator for MoDOT: “Litter is a big problem because it’s unattractive, costly and harmful to the environment. If more people would keep their trash and properly dispose of it, or, better yet, recycle it, we would reduce the amount of litter we need to pick up in the first place.”

Therein are some thoughts worth pondering.

Littering defiles the landscape, jeopardizes wildlife and requires spending that a cash-strapped Transportation agency otherwise could devote to road improvements.

That’s why the Trash Bash effort is about about awareness and prevention, as well as remediation.

Activities during the month-long event also will include educational efforts in schools, communities and at Earth Day celebrations.

How can you help?

One way is by joining Trash Bash volunteers in the cleanup. More information is available by visiting www.nomoretrash.org or call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).

Another way is simply by not contributing to the problem. Dispose of litter properly to preserve the environment and eliminate a problem that siphons precious tax dollars.