Even though Colorado consumers threw roughly 5.9 million tons of trash into landfills in 2020, according to the State of Recycling & Composting in Colorado Report, getting the trash into landfills and out of Colorado streets may just be the first hurdle to tackle.
This article addresses the state of littering throughout Colorado and sheds light onto the increasing issue in the state. According to Colorado’s statute § 18-4-511, The term “litter” is defined as all rubbish, waste material, refuse, garbage, trash, debris, or other foreign substances, solid or liquid, of every form, size, kind, and description. The statue also defines a person who litters as any person who deposits, throws, or leaves any litter on any public or private property or in any waters.
“What is the problem with littering?” people may ask. According to the City of Denver, littering is, “ugly, expensive, illegal, and dangerous. Neighborhoods with litter usually have lower property values and higher crime rates than lesser-littered neighborhoods. [And] It costs extra money to clean up litter.”
Additionally, “Animals can choke on litter or get injured by litter. People can be injured by litter (like broken glass) in parks and on beaches. [And] Blowing litter can cause auto accidents,” according to the City of Denver.
The National Conference of State Legislators outlines clear littering laws that fine people from $20 to $1,000 per Colo. Rev. Stat. §18-4-511; however, residents are not convinced that the fines are enough to deter littering offenders.
“$1,000 is not a high enough fine,” stated Jack Moore, a resident of the state. “I am constantly picking up litter on my daily walks. I come out for fresh air, and what I smell is not fresh. Heavier fines need to be imposed.”
Colorado’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) website reports that it costs millions of dollars to control roadside litter, even with the thousands of people volunteering for litter pick-ups programs like the Adopt-a-Highway volunteers. In fact, the department spends 10 percent, or about $3 million, of their maintenance budget for debris cleanup such as on highways around the Denver area.
In addition to the state’s Adopt-a-Highway program and the CDOT employees working on highway cleanup, CDOT has an additional contract with the Colorado Correctional Industry. The contract works to help the debris crew pick up litter alongside roadways and into trash bags.
Taylor Scott, another resident and native of Colorado, expressed his views of littering on Colorado highways.
“I commute a lot, and it’s absolutely ridiculous how much litter I’ve seen,” Scott stated. “I’m pretty sure the first thing that would catch a tourist’s attention would be the littering on the roads and highways—not the mountains.”
Littering has become a steadily increasing problem in which many cities have dealt with throughout the recent years. One such city is Pueblo.
In a poll taken by Pueblo residents in 2017, ninety-five percent of the poll respondents agreed that illegal garbage dumping was a problem in the city. In that same year, the city of Pueblo picked up 440 tons of trash, which was about 200 more tons than the previous year. Additionally, in April of this year, Colorado Springs launched the “Keep it Clean COS”, $2.7 million campaign effort to combat litter.
Former Pueblo resident, Ryan Perez, agreed that the city had littering problem and may still be dealing with an aftermath.
“I go to visit friends every-so-often. The city needs to be polished up. I miss it, but I do not miss the unsightly streets,” expressed Perez.
Henry Martinez, a resident of Colorado, has seen a gradual shift in littering tendencies throughout the years.
“It’s sad when I see litter on the streets. It wasn’t this bad 10 years ago,” Martinez stated. “I don’t understand It. Why can’t someone wait the five minutes it takes to see the next trash can and throw their trash in that container? Our resident and city streets are not and should not be anyone’s personal garbage bin.”
These trends touch on another related issue—the lack of recycling in the state. With much of the litter being recyclable items, it may seem concerning to some knowing that Colorado is one of the 20 worst states in the nation when it comes to recycling as of 2021—recycling only 15% of its overall waste—according to the 2021 Colorado report.
However, Producer Responsibility Policies could transform the stagnant recycling system and aid in the littering problem. According to the State of Recycling and Composting in Colorado 2021, these policies, “are gaining momentum in the US as the most proven and effective strategy to sustainably finance and expand recycling programs to increase recycling rates, reduce plastic pollution, and help curb carbon emissions.”
“Some sidewalks are lined with garbage, some trails are worse… the littering needs to stop. I can’t even drive anywhere without seeing trash thrown on the sides of the streets. People need to stop tossing their plastic stuff onto the streets and into some recycling bins. People need to start becoming aware of their footprint,” expressed Moore.
Colorado is currently working to live up to its “green” reputation by bringing forth bills in the 2022 legislative session that can aid in environmental improvement. These efforts include recycling efforts via the House Bill 1355, air pollution reduction via Senate Bill 193, and new, toxic industrial emission monitoring sites via House Bill 1244.
Despite the growing litter concerns, Coloradoans continue to try their best.
“I even recycle my trash. I rinse out all the plastic containers and packages left over from the food that I buy; I make sure the plastic number coincides with my local recycling requirements… I really do try to keep my city litter free. Although, it is disheartening, at times, to think that my efforts may not be beneficial at all because of the lack of effort from the masses,” stated Martinez.
Colorado continues to expand its efforts into the green industry through programs and conferences such as the ProGreen EXPO taking place in 2023, dating back to 1996. However, can all these individual efforts improve upon the current state of debris and litter?
Time can only tell how much litter will be seen on the streets in Colorado’s future. However, it is up to Coloradoans to apply expectations, enforce no-littering standards, and do their part in keeping Colorado clean for everyone.
MFJS Reporter Spring 2022 