SHA OBSERVES EARTH DAY AND HIGHLIGHTS HARMFUL IMPACTS OF LITTERING ON MARYLAND ROADS

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SHA Launches the “We Live Here, Too” Education Effort

(April 21, 2017) – The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) State Highway Administration (SHA) is observing Earth Month by reinforcing the message about the harmful impacts of litter on the state’s roadsides and natural resources, and initiating an anti-litter education effort to address the growing prevalence and cost of litter on the state's highways.

This effort is part of a continuing campaign to show SHA's total commitment to the environment and the protection of the State’s natural resources and wildlife.  One of SHA’s priorities is ensure that Maryland remains a viable, clean and attractive place to live, visit and work.

April is Earth Month with Saturday, April 22 recognized as Earth Day.

“A message I keep trying to get across is ‘We live here, too,’” said SHA Administrator Greg Slater.  “Maryland is indeed a beautiful state, and I hope we can all work together to collectively treat our roads and roadsides as we would our own homes.  We all live here. Let’s keep our roads and this beautiful state litter-free."

SHA will highlight the State’s efforts to keep Maryland beautiful.   Not only is litter unsightly, harmful to water quality and wildlife, but it costs Maryland taxpayers millions each year that could be better used for road projects.

SHA spends nearly $8 million every year to remove litter along Maryland highways, pulling skilled SHA workers off highway repairs to remove trash.  This requires funds that could otherwise be used to repave roads, install traffic signals and lighting, or assist with other safety critical activities.

Most importantly, littering is extremely harmful to our environment, with trash typically carried by storm water to streams and rivers, and in some cases entering drinking water reservoirs and the Chesapeake Bay.

“We put a lot of effort into keeping our roads and roadsides clean all year long,” said Slater.  “We join Marylanders and the rest of the world in observing Earth Day, but we will continue to make environmental protection a priority and focus every single day.  We owe that to the good people traveling our roads.”

Marylanders can volunteer to assist SHA in this important effort participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program.

This program began in 1989, and will mark 28 years of service to the state of Maryland this year. The program allows volunteer groups to adopt a portion of a state highway and pledge to remove litter four times per year.  SHA recognizes its nearly 200 volunteer groups by placing the groups’ names on signs along their adopted portion of roadway.

In addition to the efforts of volunteer groups, the Sponsor-A-Highway Program (SAH) allows businesses to contribute to fighting litter along major interstate and primary routes.  SHA has saved more than $3 million in state funds that are now used to support other roadway maintenance initiatives.

Work through SAH is performed by independent maintenance providers.  Their crews remove litter on the sponsor’s behalf, and have collected nearly 68,000 bags of litter from State highways since the program’s inception in 2006.  Highway signs also serve as recognition for the participating corporations along the stretch of highway where they fund litter pick up.

SHA encourages local community groups and business partners to adopt or sponsor a State roadway. To learn more about the Adopt-A-Highway and Sponsor-A-Highway programs, visit www.roads.maryland.gov

Some eye-opening littering statistics to consider before discarding a cigarette butt or other litter. According to Keep America Beautiful (2010):
  • $11.5 billion spent annually nationwide to clean up litter.
  • 9 billion tons of litter is dumped into the ocean every year.
  • Every year, millions of fish, birds and animals are killed from consuming or getting tangled up in litter with the biggest culprits being plastic bags and plastic six pack rings.
  • A majority of litter is discarded by motorists, especially at high traffic locations.
  • Along roadways and highways, motorists generate 52.2 percent of litter and pedestrians 17.5 percent.
  • About 95 percent of litter at transition points is from pedestrians. These are areas where individuals consuming a food or tobacco product are required to discard the product before entering.
  • Virtually all litter - 97 percent - found at transition areas are small items. Confection litter (candy, chocolate, gum, etc.) is the most predominant at 53.7 percent, and tobacco products second at 29.8 percent.
  • 50 percent of all littered items are cigarette butts.
  • The overall littering rate for cigarette butts is 65 percent.
  • Most cigarette butts are littered on the ground (85 percent), 37 percent into bushes/shrubbery, 25 percent on or around trash receptacles, and 15 percent into planters.
 
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