Waste Prevention and Litter Reduction

1
Waste Prevention and Litter Reduction

• Rebecca Siren
• Siren Associates
• Sponsored By CIMBL

2
(No Transcript)
3
What is Litter and Where can it be found?

• Litter
• Packaging, paper, and other materials that have
  been disposed of improperly.
• Examples bottles and bottle caps, plastic and
  metal containers, and cigarette butts
• Cigarette Butts is the NUMBER 1 item found along
  California roads
• Most litter is found within 15 feet of a
• trash can

4
Types of Litter

• Cigarette Butts, Cigarette Filters
• 35
• Food Wrappers Containers Caps Lids
• 19
• Beverage Containers (Plastic, Glass Aluminum
  Cans)
• 16
• Cups, Plates, Forks, Knives, Spoons, Straws
  Stirrers
• 4
• Other
• 26

5
TYPICAL LITTER!
6
Why do people Litter?

• They feel no sense of ownership, even though
  areas such as parks and beaches are public
  property.
• They believe someone elsea prisoner, park
  maintenance or highway workerwill pick up after
  them.
• Litter has already accumulated.

7
Little Known Facts

• Motorists and pedestrians are often blamed for
  litter. There are actually seven primary sources
• household trash handling and its placement at the
  curb for collection
• dumpsters used by businesses
• loading docks
• construction and demolition sites
• trucks with uncovered loads
• pedestrians
• motorists
• Litter is blown about by wind and traffic or
  carried by water. It moves until trapped by a
  curb, building or fence. Once litter has
  accumulated, it invites people to add more

8
Litter is harmful to wildlife and our environment

• 18 of all litter dropped to the ground is
  washed into streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean
  by stormwater runoff. 
• Cigarette butts and other litter are easily
  carried into this runoff into our waterways and
  pose a health risk for wildlife when ingested.
• Did you know that birds may use it for nesting
  and even think it's food?
• Each year, millions of taxpayers dollars are
  spent to pick up litter.
• Discarded cigarette butts cause grass fires each
  year!!

9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
How long does it take for litter to decompose?

• Biodegradability the potential of an organic
  substance to be broken down into simpler
  compounds or molecules through the action of
  microorganisms.

17
What kind of litter can be reused or recycled?

• Some litter can be recycled
• Such as Paper and CRV beverage containers
  (Aluminum Cans, Plastic, and Glass)

18
How to Prevent Litter

• Set an example for others, especially children,
  by not littering.
• Carry a litterbag in your car.
• Make sure trash cans have lids that can be
  securely fastened.
• Report areas where people have illegally dumped
  garbage and debris
• Contact CIMBL and volunteer to participate in a
  cleanup.

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
(No Transcript)
22
CIMBLCitizens Involved Means Better Living

• CIMBL began in 1994 with a handful of Saturday
  Litter Fighters
• Today, hundreds of volunteers are involved and
  have collected tens of thousands of bags of
  roadside trash and discarded items along Placer
  County roadways.
• Individuals, Organizations, and Businesses can
  help support CIMBL by participating in one or
  more clean-ups in their area annually.
• Contact Dave Albright _at_ [phone] or
  www.CIMBL.org

23
WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Remember to throw away
• your trash in the trash can
• Go to a CIMBL Sponsored
• Clean-Up
• Tell your Friends what you have learned
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost
• Contact CIMBL at www.CIMBL.org or
• [phone]