About Us Contact Us Litter Facts Programs Events Membership Photo Gallery Links Home
	Litter Facts

A Georgia Law, 'The Georgia Comprehensive Litter Prevention and Abatement Act of 2006', says, Littering is a Crime in Georgia! What is Litter? GA.Law defines litter as, any discarded or abandoned: Refuse, Rubbish, Junk or Other waste Material. Where does litter come from? Keep America beautiful identified seven sources that contribute to the litter problem. Commercial refuse sources, including dumpsters. Household trash handling Construction/demolition sites Uncovered vehicles Loading docks Motorist Pedestrians From these sources, litter is carried in every direction by wind, water and traffic. It moves until trapped by a wall, fence, curb, a row of trees, a building or other stationary object. Once trapped, litter becomes not only an eye sore, a fire and health hazard, but also an invitation for people to add more. Also, litter finds its way down storm drains and into our waterways, harming wildlife and water quality. Why do people litter? A three year study revealed that people litter for one of the three reasons. When they feel no sense of ownership for the property. When they believe someone else will clean up after them. When they see areas where litter has already accumulated: Broken Window Theory Litter It Cost you!, safety, health, money and beauty. Litter endangers our environment, our wildlife and our economy. It pollutes our neighborhoods, decreases property values and destroys our country's natural beauty. Litter leads to crime; it signals to criminals that residents don't care what happens in their neighborhood and it makes the area more vulnerable. GA Dept. of Tourism, Representative Mrs. Faye Tripp says, "A clean community is definitely a plus for attracting business and tourism." GA Taxpayers and Business are spending over thirty million dollars each year for litter removal from our highways and streets.   LITTER - IT STAYS WITH US! Do You Know How Long It Takes Litter On Our Roadways To Decompose To A Non-Recognizable Form?             STYROFOAM ALUMINUM PLASTIC BAGS PLASTIC COATED CARTONS PLASTIC CONTAINERS CIGARETTE BUTTS LEATHER SHOES VIBRAM SOLES WOOL SOCKS ORANGE PEELS PAPER CONTAINERS NEVER 10-100 YRS 10-20 YRS 5 YRS   50-80 YRS 10-12 YRS 25-40 YRS 50-80 YRS 6-24 MO UP TO 6 MO 2-5 MO   A little known law code section 16-7-43: Signed by our Governor in May 2002, H.B.1343, enables concerned citizens with no criminal record to request their county and/or city government to appoint them as Code Enforcement Officers. Check Official Code of GA annotated, code section 16_7_43 for details. One sponsor, Rep. Mark Burkhalter said, "Littering is a crime - plain and simple. We need to make it easier for Law Enforcement Officials to issue citations for littering in Georgia." source: PR Newswire Feb 12, 2002 from Keep Arkansa Beautiful website. Thank you, KAB for letting us Georgia Citizens know about this Law. Keep America Beautiful Believes,That each of us has an obligation to preserve and protect our enviroment. Through our everyday choices and actions, we collectively have a huge impact on our world. source: KAB website   "Procrastination will stop good people from doing great things." - Jim Trenton © 2008, Clean Up Butts Association, Jackson, Georgia All Rights Reserved site sponsored by:  Debbie Bartrop site maintained by:  Jackson-Online.com The Official Website of Clean Up Butts Association