Volunteers collect litter alongside a state-maintained road. Photo: NCDOT

More than 6 million pounds of litter have been collected from state roadsides so far this year by North Carolina Department of Transportation’s crews, contractors and volunteers.

About 6.3 million pounds of litter have been picked as of Wednesday up from roadsides as a part of this year’s litter removal efforts, around the same amount that was collected in 2020. The state is likely to surpass 2019’s record, when 10.5 million pounds of litter were collected.

“We are on track to pick up more litter in 2021 than in any year previous,” said state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette in a statement. “But to truly solve this problem, North Carolina must begin dealing with litter proactively. Secure your load, don’t throw trash out the window and do your part to make sure others know this too.”

NCDOT’s litter management programs has many facets including NCDOT’s Sponsor-A-Highway Program, which businesses, organizations and individuals to sponsor litter removal along roadsides. NCDOT also partners with more than 120,000 participants in the Adopt-A-Highway Program, where volunteers pledge to clean a section of our highways at least four times a year.

Report litterers to NCDOT’s Swat-A-Litterbug app, which can be downloaded at ncdot.gov/litter.

The 2021 Fall Litter Sweep will be held between Sept. 11-25. More details will be available closer to the event.

Officials say everyone should do their part by to combat litter by securing trash before driving to prevent roadside litter, disposing of garbage of properly and recycling when possible.

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Credit: Original content published here.

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