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Don't be a litter bug - do your part!
Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement for-impact organization, has announced the summary of its 2020 study on litter in America. The Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study provides a detailed understanding of the quantity, composition, and sources of litter across the United States.
The organization’s 2020 Study is a follow up to its landmark 2009 study, which builds on a history of science-based litter research started by Keep America Beautiful in 1969. “I am thrilled to continue the history of Keep America Beautiful as the leader in litter research in the United States, and methodology that has now been used around the world,” said Dr. Helen Lowman, Keep America Beautiful President and CEO.
Key findings include:
Nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along U.S. roadways and waterways
Slightly more litter along waterways (25.9B) than roadways (23.7B)
152 items for each U.S. resident
More than 2,000 pieces of litter per mile (both roadway and waterway)
90% of people surveyed believe litter is a problem in their state
6 billion pieces more than 4 inches in size
Most littered item remains cigarette butts, but this litter is down almost 70%
207.1M PPE items littered