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A few pieces of litter along the side of the road may not seem like a crime, but it is. Littered roadways, properties and illegal dumpsites cost the Commonwealth millions of dollars each year in cleanup costs. Aside from the costs associated with cleanup, littering and illegal dumping becomes a blight upon the local community, inhibiting economic development and potentially attracting more crime. This fact sheet will provide information about the tools law enforcement can use to combat this problem.
| Litter: | Litter comes in all shapes and sizes - from a cigarette butt to a tire. It can be found on roadsides, sidewalks, in parks or on private property.
Intentional littering is a behavioral choice based on apathy, lack of social pressure to do the right thing, ignorance of the law and an absence of realistic penalties or consistent enforcement, or it is a social rebellion and a disregard of authority. People who litter represent a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Unintentional littering can result from unsecured vehicle loads and overflowing trash containers and dumpsters. |
| Illegal Dumps: | Illegal dumps are found in isolated locations in both rural and urban areas. Like litterers, illegal dumpers come from all walks of life. Often these individuals are looking to avoid paying trash disposal costs or are unaware of how to properly dispose of items. Most dumpsites contain the following: tires, household trash, appliances, bulky items, vehicle parts, construction/remodeling debris, brush and other woody materials. |
| The Facts: | PENNDOT spends $10.1 million cleaning up roadside litter every year. It costs approximately $835/ton to clean up illegal dumpsites. It is estimated that there are thousands of illegal dumpsites in Pennsylvania. |
| Safety Concerns: | Littered burning cigarette butts can fly into the open window of another car and cause fires. Litter can cause accidents when vehicles trying to avoid roadway litter make unsafe maneuvers. Urine-filled bottles thrown from trucks pose a serious health and safety hazard.
What looks like litter is sometimes deadly, as illegal methamphetamine lab paraphernalia is increasingly being found along roadsides in rural Pennsylvanian communities. When not handled properly, these materials pose a serious health threat to roadside cleanup crews and pedestrians. |
| Applicable Laws: | PA Vehicle Code, Title 75, Chapter 37 - litter and waste dropped, thrown or deposited from a vehicle onto a road right-of-way Penalties: considered a summary offense, imposes a fine of not more than $900, depending on where the dumping occurs, and/or picking up and removing litter from public or private property
PA Crimes Code, Title 18, Chapter 65 - scattering rubbish; illegally deposited trash that lands on public or private property. Can include someone illegally dumping their own trash or someone who is paid to dispose of waste Penalties: considered a summary offense, imposes a fine of not less than $50, nor more than $300, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both
Local Ordinances: municipal police can cite littering and illegal dumping under local ordinances, if the ordinances specifically mention the offenses. The following ordinances may contain language about littering and illegal dumping: recycling and solid waste, littering, illegal dumping, littered properties, parks and recreation. Penalties: Fines vary by ordinance and are set by the local district justice. Fines collected are returned to the local municipality. |
This fact sheet was prepared by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. For more information, please contact Executive Director Julia Marano by phone at (717) 214-7901 or by email at marano@keeppabeautiful.org. More information on littering is also available on the following website: http://www.allentownrecycles.org/dont_trash/facts.jsp .
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