Impact of litter, Litter
Litter seems a simple concept: it's just waste in places where it doesn't belong, right? But once you look at the details of litter, it gets more complex. Here at EcoScan we want to help you understand litter, so you are well informed and can help prevent it.
The Main Categories of Litter
A few main categories of litter make up most of what we see polluting our streets, parks, beaches and ditches:
- Plastic - From bottles and bags to food packaging and straws, plastic makes up a large share of litter. It is lightweight, doesn't decompose and is extremely harmful to wildlife and ecosystems. Common plastic litter includes plastic bottles, caps, bags, cutlery and foam packaging.
- Paper - Paper products are also among the most visible and abundant types of litter. Fortunately, paper breaks down much faster than plastic, but it still takes weeks or months to break down completely. Common forms of paper litter are paper napkins, newspapers, receipts, straw wrappers and cigarette butts.
- Glass - Glass bottles, jars and pieces of broken glass are a common form of litter. Glass takes an extremely long time to break down in the environment (in fact, it simply doesn't) and can be a danger to people and animals. And yet it is 100% recyclable.
- Organic/food waste - Half-eaten food, peels and other organic waste are often just thrown on the ground. This type of litter does decompose, but it causes bad smells, attracts vermin and releases methane as it rots.
The Consequences of Litter
Litter may seem like a small problem, but it has huge negative consequences for our health, the environment, the economy and communities:
- It pollutes the soil, rivers, lakes, beaches and oceans
- It harms and kills animals that eat it or get entangled in it
- It blocks storm drains, which causes flooding
- It lowers property values and affects income from tourism
- Cleaning it up and removing it costs billions
Preventing Litter
The good news is that litter is very easy to solve. Here are some tips for preventing and reducing litter:
- Throw waste in the bin the right way - not sure which bin it goes in? Use the EcoScan app.
- Hold on to your waste until you find a bin
- Choose reusable products instead of single-use ones where possible - read more about using reusable products
- Join litter clean-ups in your area
- Tell others about the consequences of litter
- Pick up litter with the EcoScan app! - challenge yourself and others with the Litter Bingo and Scavenger Hunt. Download the app now.
Understanding the what, why and how of litter is the first step towards solving this environmental problem. We help you pick up litter. Head out with your family and pick up litter together!