Preventing litter

Litter and It Will Hurt

Litter hotline

The outreach campaign also included highway signage and a litter hotline to report violators. Members of the public could report littering by calling 1-866-LITTER-1 (866-548-8371). Funding for the hotline was discontinued in 2011 due to budget cuts.

Some signs remain along Washington roadways. The message is a good reminder of the fines and penalties that face those who litter. If someone calls to report a violator, they hear a recorded message that says the program has been discontinued.

The Washington State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies continue to enforce Washington’s laws if they observe or receive reports of littering.

We hope that future state budgets will restore the funding needed to develop and manage similar litter prevention programs.

Litter studies

Understanding the source of litter can help us know better how to prevent it. Researching how much material is littered, what types of material ends up as litter, and where people are littering helps inform litter prevention efforts. Funding for ongoing research was discontinued in 2009 due to budget cuts.

Past studies

• Washington State 2004 Litter Study - Litter Generation and Composition Report
• Washington State 1999 Litter Study - Final Report, Vol. 1
• Washington State 1999 Litter Study - Final Report, Vol. 2, Litter Generation and Composition
• Washington State 1999 Litter Study - Final Report, Vol. 3, Focus Group Report
• Washington State 1999 Litter Study - Final Report, Vol. 4, Telephone Survey Report
• Frequently Asked Questions - Litter Survey and Sort (June 1999)
• Litter in Washington (June 2000) - Fact sheet
• Litter Task Force Report (December 1997)