Litter Facts
What is Litter?
Litter is trash that is on the ground. Litter can be found on the grass, on the street, on the highway, in trees, along a fence line, in neighborhoods, blowing in the air, and in our waterways. Litter can be intentional (on purpose) or accidental.
Do your part to make sure you don’t litter, and if you find litter, pick it up and put it in a trash can or recycling bin. Want to do more for the community? Register for a community litter cleanup at plano.gov/cleanups.
Littering is against the law in Texas.
The Most Commonly Littered Items
Cigarette butts are the #1 most littered item in the world.
Over 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded annually in the U.S. Cigarette butt litter makes up 30% of the litter stream in the U.S., and is not biodegradable. Cigarette filters are made out cellulose acetate, a plastic which is harmful to aquatic life and wildlife. Smokers should extinguish and dispose cigarette butts properly in trash cans or ash receptacles.
Plastic Bags
Each year in the U.S., 30 billion plastic bags are made, and 1-3% of single plastic bags become litter, and they are not biodegradable. Most plastic bags in the United States are made natural gas, or petroleum oil. Reusable bags can eliminate the need for 1,000 single-use plastic bags. BYOB (Bring your own bag!)
Packaging
Single-use fast food, snack, tobacco, beverage, and other packaging make up nearly 46% of litter 4 inches and larger in the U.S.
Major Sources of Litter
- Pedestrians
- Motorists
- Truck beds
- Residential trash and recycling carts
- Commercial trash and recycling dumpsters
- Loading docks
- Construction and demolition sites
The 6 Most Common Reasons People Give for Littering
