Caring for what we share & keeping Washington beautiful
Not littering and securing vehicle loads mean safer, cleaner highways and public areas for all of us.
We Keep Washington Litter Free
We work with state agencies, local governments, non-profits, community-based organizations, and retail partners to stop litter at the source by changing littering behaviors (or changing behaviors that cause it).
In 2021, we launched We Keep WA Litter Free and created a Litter Prevention Partner Toolkit for local jurisdictions, community groups, and others to promote litter prevention and amplify campaign messages.
![A person places snack trash into a We Keep Washington Litter Free litter bag inside a car, showing an easy way to prevent litter.]](/getmedia/ae1c1dfe-c7d8-4bd0-9d1e-d3588cc79f26/Person-throwing-trash-away-in-a-We-Keep-Wa-Litter-Free-Trash-bag.jpg)
Simple As That
Litter is a big problem, but the solutions are simple. Use a litter bag in your car and throw your trash in a bin.
Your small daily actions make a big difference.
Secure Your Load for Safer Roads
When do you need to secure items in your truck or trailer? Every time you hit the road.
Securing the items you haul is vital to keeping roads safe and litter-free.
![Items in a pickup truck bed are secured with straps and netting, showing how properly securing a load helps keep roads safer and litter free.]](/getmedia/bec075d7-45ed-44d5-af24-654da170333a/Secured-load.jpg)
The big problem with litter
Our research shows that 75% of Washingtonians don’t litter, but the actions of those who do lead to:
expensive cleanups
dangerous road conditions
big environmental impacts
loss of community pride and tourism
Understanding litter: the numbers behind the problem
Every year, Washington's state and local governments spend millions of dollars to clean up litter. However, those efforts remove only a fraction of the millions of pounds of waste that accumulate each year on roads, in communities, and throughout natural habitats.
Nearly 38 million pounds, or 7 billion pieces, of litter accumulate in Washington each year. That's approximately 5 pounds or 879 pieces of litter per person every year.
Ecology-funded litter pickup programs collected more than 5.2 million pounds of litter in 2024. And cleaned up more than 18,000 miles of roadway statewide.
Urban interstates get the most litter and see 1,579 pounds, or 73,580 pieces, per mile every year. Nearly half (48%) comes from intentional littering. Unsecured vehicle loads (39%) and vehicle and tire debris (14%) make up the rest.
That’s where you come in
We can’t rely on litter pickup efforts alone. We all play a role in stopping litter at the source.
Keep a litter bag in your vehicle.
Cover and secure items you’re hauling in a pickup or trailer.
If you smoke, keep a portable ashtray in your vehicle.
Collect the trash from your car and toss it at a gas station, a rest area, or your destination.
Encourage your friends and family to live litter-free too.
Learn more about litter in Washington. Visit our litter pickup page.
Washington's litter pickup programs
As the state's lead agency managing litter programs, we operate youth and adult crews and provide funding to state, county, and local agencies for litter and illegal dump pickup and prevention.
Many of our state and local partners run volunteer litter pickup programs, offering opportunities for people to get involved and make a difference in their community.
Ecology Litter Corps
The ELC program is the largest and longest running litter pickup program in the state. ELC hires teens and adults to pick up litter on the state’s roads and highways.
Community Litter Cleanup Program
The Community Litter Cleanup Program began in 1998 and provides funds to local governments for litter and illegal dump cleanup and litter-prevention education.
Ramp Litter Cleanup Program
In 2021, the Welcome to Washington Act (Senate Bill 5040) created the Ramp Litter Cleanup Program to provide funding to local governments for litter cleanup on state highway ramps and interchanges.
Adopt-a-Highway
The Washington State Department of Transportation's Adopt-a-Highway program allows individuals, groups, and businesses to help take care of a section of state highway in their community.
Paying for litter pickup programs
Our budget varies each biennium based on funds from the Legislature and the litter tax. Learn more about how our programs are funded and about efforts to modernize the litter tax.
Washington’s litter prevention history
Protecting, preserving, and enhancing the environment for current and future generations has been the mission driving Ecology for the past 50 years. Since 1971, we have implemented many statewide litter prevention programs and anti-litter campaigns. For a window into our past, read about the roots of our litter program.