States are developing comprehensive programs to combat the national littering epidemic.
States are developing comprehensive programs to combat the national littering epidemic. Earlier this week, Pennsylvania announced the launch of their new statewide anti-littering campaign “PA Fights Dirty: Every Litter Bit Matters.” This anti-litter measure joins other state litter prevention programs that have been introduced since the COVID-19 pandemic including GDOT’s “Keep it Clean Georgia” campaign and Caltrans’s “Let’s Change This to That”.
According to a research study published in the online journal Nature Sustainability, there has been an 80-fold increase in mask litter since the pandemic began in 2020. The increase in personal protection equipment (PPE) litter compounds the long-standing litter problem that states have been battling for years.
“There has been a marked increase in litter and debris on highways across the country,” said Adopt A Highway (AHMC) President, Patricia Nelson. “Along with the usual fast-food containers and coffee cups, PPE debris lines roadways, this environmental issue is now also a public health issue.”
Innovative awareness campaigns, like Texas’s “Don’t Mess With Texas” program is one prong of a many pronged approach government organizations are taking to help eradicate litter. Sponsor-a-Highway and Adopt-A-Highway programs work in conjunction with State DOT anti-litter campaigns to get the public involved in the on-going effort to clean up roadways.
“AHMC has and will continue to partner with state DOT’s to assist in their ongoing fight against this wide-spread problem,” said Patricia Nelson. “Litter is an issue that affects all of us, and we are grateful for the businesses and volunteers who step up to make a positive impact in their communities.”
For more information about highway sponsorship, call 800.200.0003 or visit https://adoptahighway.com/
About AHMC
Adopt A Highway Maintenance Corporation® provides recognition and roadway cleanup to highway sponsors who desire to give back to the community. Every sign requires a commitment from the sponsor to fund litter-removal efforts executed by the Adopt A Highway Maintenance Corporation’s professionally trained staff located across the United States.