The Lee County PALS chapter is a way for all citizens of our county to come together to fight the growing litter problem. If you care about where you live and are tired of seeing our communities appear "trashy", you can have a voice that will be heard. Litter does not go away on its own, but with the help of volunteers providing solutions and manpower, it can be eliminated.
Litter-Known
FACTS:
FACT: Every man, woman and child in America throws away about 4 lbs. of
trash every day!
FACT: Fewer landfills are being built, yet more garbage is generated each
year.
FACT: Much of this trash ends up on our roadsides and in our lakes and
streams.
FACT: There are SEVEN primary sources of litter:
- Household trash handling
- Dumpsters used by businesses
- Loading docks
- Construction and demolition sites
- Trucks with uncovered loads
- Pedestrians
- Motorists
FACT: Littering isn't just rude and unsightly, it's AGAINST THE LAW! According
to Alabama's
littering statutes, "criminal littering is a Class C misdemeanor. The minimum
fine for the first conviction shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250), and
the fine for the second and any subsequent conviction shall be five hundred
dollars ($500) for each conviction" to anyone willfully and knowingly
littering, including from any of the litter sources above.
FACT: Litter is a COSTLY problem. One
mile of highway contains approximately 16,000 pieces of litter.It costs an estimated $0.30 per piece of
litter to clean it up.
FACT: According to AL DOT, half of the litter is deliberate, while the other
50% is caused by materials "accidentally" lost from vehicles. In Lee
County, we can safely
assume it's more than 50% being deliberately thrown on our county roads and
highways because we have all witnessed litter being tossed from vehicles.
FACT: Many people litter, sadly believing that someone else (a highway worker,
park maintenance, or prisoner) will pick up after them.
FACT: One person CAN make a
difference! Especially if that one
person is YOU!
