03/28/2024
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State nears annual record for litter collection

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Transportation’s crews, contractors and volunteers have collected this year more than 10 million pounds of litter from roadsides, nearly breaking the state’s record for litter collection set in 2019.

This announcement comes on the heels of the two-week Fall Litter Sweep, which saw more than 418,000 pounds of roadside litter picked up statewide.

Regionally, more than 1.2 million pounds of litter this year have been collected across Highway Division 6, which is responsible for Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson counties.

“I am so proud of my team, our hard-working contract crews and all of the dedicated volunteers,” said Division 6 Engineer Drew Cox. “This represents a big commitment in our state to help keep our roadsides looking clean and beautiful.”

Much of Division 6’s success is owed, in part, to the 235 Adopt-A-Highway groups. The department is always looking for more volunteer groups. Interested participants should visit ncdot.gov/DontTrashNC to see how they can get involved.

NCDOT officials estimate that by next month, 10.5 million pounds will have been collected for the year, breaking the 2019 record.

If you spot someone littering from a vehicle, report them with NCDOT’s Swat-A-Litterbug app by downloading the app at ncdot.gov/litter.

Litter is unsightly, costs millions of dollars to clean up and can hurt the environment, tourism and the state’s quality of life. Everyone can do their part to prevent roadside litter by following these tips:

  • Always secure your load
  • Clear truck beds of any and all trash and debris before driving
  • Never toss garbage from a vehicle

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