Trash Crisis: Annual Global Garbage Littering Statistics

Every year, billions of pieces of litter are discarded across the world. In the US alone, there are nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along roadways and waterways. This is a deliberate act, with 76% of roadway litter coming from motorists and pedestrians intentionally discarding items. The consequences of this are monumental, with litter contributing to air, land and ocean pollution.

The cost of littering

Littering also contributes to air, land and ocean pollution. For example, approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year. This has a devastating impact on marine life, with fish kills being reported almost daily.

In 2021, Keep America Beautiful released the largest study on litter in America, which found that there were nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along US roadways and waterways. The study also found that slightly more litter was found along waterways (25.9 billion) than roadways (23.7 billion). This is a significant problem, as litter can be harmful to wildlife and the environment.

Littering is often a deliberate act, with 76% of roadway litter coming from motorists and pedestrians intentionally discarding items. However, progress has been made in reducing roadway litter, with the most recent Keep America Beautiful litter study from 2020 estimating that litter on America's roads is down 54% since 2009.

How litter affects the environment

There are 50 billion pieces of litter along US roadways and waterways, with slightly more along waterways than roadways. This littering contributes to air, land and ocean pollution. For example, approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste finds its way into our oceans every year. This pollution has a detrimental effect on marine life, with fish kills reported almost every day.

Littering is largely a deliberate act, with 76% of roadway litter coming from motorists and pedestrians intentionally discarding items. This is more than the amount of trash generated every year, which is only 250 million. This suggests that people tend to throw things randomly anywhere more often than they throw garbage in trash bins.

Littering has a significant environmental impact. It can lead to the depletion of marine life and the destruction of natural habitats. It can also contribute to air and land pollution, as litter is often burned or left to decompose, releasing harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

Littering also has economic costs. Billions of dollars are spent each year cleaning up litter from streets and public spaces. This money could be better spent on other important services. Additionally, littering can negatively impact tourism and local businesses, as people may be less likely to visit or invest in areas with high levels of litter.

Overall, littering has far-reaching consequences for the environment, the economy, and public health. It is important that individuals take responsibility for their waste and dispose of it properly to reduce the negative impacts of littering.

How much litter is caused by motorists and pedestrians

It is difficult to estimate how much trash is littered every year, but it is clear that it is a significant amount. In 2021, Keep America Beautiful released the largest study on litter in America, which found that there were nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along U.S. roadways and waterways. The study also found that slightly more litter was found along waterways (25.9 billion) than roadways (23.7 billion). This is a huge problem, as littering contributes to air, land, and ocean pollution. For example, approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year, which has a detrimental effect on marine life.

A previous study conducted in 2009 by Keep America Beautiful found that 76% of roadway litter comes from motorists and pedestrians intentionally discarding items. This is compared to 19.9% of litter that comes from unsecured items in the back of trucks or trash receptacles. While major progress has been made in reducing roadway litter, with the most recent KAB litter study from 2020 estimating that litter on America's roads is down 54% since 2009, littering continues to be a deliberate act.

There are several reasons why people intentionally litter. Studies have found that the answer generally boils down to four main reasons: a lack of discipline and basic knowledge about the effects of littering; a lack of respect for the environment; a lack of pride in their community; and a lack of awareness of the consequences of littering.

While it is important to address the issue of littering from motorists and pedestrians, it is also worth noting that littering is not the only source of trash. Unsecured items in the back of trucks or trash receptacles also contribute to the problem. Additionally, people tend to throw things randomly anywhere more often than they throw garbage in trash bins, which adds up to among the reasons why marine life is depleting.

How much litter is caused by unsecured items in trucks or trash receptacles

It is difficult to know exactly how much trash is littered every year, but it is a lot. In 2009, Keep America Beautiful found that 76% of roadway litter comes from motorists and pedestrians intentionally discarding items. The remaining 19.9% comes from unsecured items in the back of trucks or trash receptacles. This equates to nearly 10 billion pieces of litter along U.S. roadways and waterways.

In 2021, Keep America Beautiful released the largest study on litter in America. The 2020 National Litter Study provides a detailed understanding of the quantity, composition, and sources of litter across the United States. The study found that there were nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along U.S. roadways and waterways, with slightly more litter along waterways (25.9 billion) than roadways (23.7 billion).

Littering has a huge impact on the environment, contributing to air, land, and ocean pollution. For example, approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year. This is more than the amount of trash generated every year, which is only 250 million.

Billions of dollars are spent cleaning up litter that people have tossed thoughtlessly onto the streets and other public spaces. If people were more disciplined and applied basic knowledge about the effects of litter, a lot of money could be saved and used for other important services.

How much litter is caused by illegal dumping

It is difficult to know exactly how much litter is caused by illegal dumping, but we do know that it contributes to the 8 million tons of plastic waste that ends up in our oceans every year. In 2021, Keep America Beautiful released the largest study on litter in America. The study found that there were nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along US roadways and waterways, with slightly more litter along waterways than roadways. This study highlights the significant impact of littering and illegal dumping on the environment.

The incidences of littering and illegal dumping have grown swiftly in recent decades. This has contributed to air, land, and ocean pollution. While it is challenging to fully comprehend the impact of throwing a cup out of a window or dropping food packaging on the ground, these actions can have monumental effects on the environment.

The Keep America Beautiful study provides a detailed understanding of the quantity, composition, and sources of litter across the United States. It is a follow-up to the organisation's landmark 2009 study and builds on a history of science-based litter research started in 1969. The 2020 study estimates that litter on America's roads is down 54% since 2009, which is a positive step forward.

However, littering continues to be a deliberate act, and it is important to understand why people intentionally litter. By addressing the root causes of littering and illegal dumping, we can make a significant impact on reducing the amount of litter that ends up in our environment.

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