We Keep WA Litter Free campaign
Litter is a big problem with a simple solution – everyone in Washington doing their part.
Most people don’t litter. But the actions of the few who do add up to expensive clean ups, dangerous road conditions and a big environmental impact. Every year, Washington’s state and local governments spend millions of dollars to clean up litter, but those efforts only remove a fraction of the 18 million pounds of waste that accumulate every year on our roads, in our communities and throughout our natural habitats.
Live litter free and help others do the same.
The impact of litter
Every year, more than 12 million pounds of litter is tossed or blown onto our highways, and 6 million pounds of litter is discarded in our parks and recreational areas.
Litter isn't just ugly, it's dangerous. Roadside litter causes hundreds of car crashes every year and many types of litter, like cigarette butts, leach harmful chemicals into natural habitats.
In 2020, Ecology funded litter pickup programs collected more than 4.5 million pounds of litter from nearly 22,000 miles of roads, costing over $4.5 million.
We need everyone’s help to turn the tide on litter.
Litter laws
Littering or driving with an unsecured vehicle load in Washington could result in fines up to $5,000.