Why Should We Clean Up Litter?

Written By Angus Jackson

By Angus Jackson

Cleanups of litter affect both the environment and the inhabitants of the cleaned places tangibly. They are not superficial actions. They reduce pollution, save animals, improve public health, foster community pride, and even change behavior in the long run. In this essay, I argue that cleanups of litter are essential investments in both environmental and social well-being.

Firstly, cleanups of litter reduce environmental pollution significantly. According to the Environmental Literacy Council, cleanups remove waste such as plastic that would normally break down into microplastics, contaminating soil, waterways, and eventually entering food chains. Cleaning up trash before it has a chance to break down prevents harmful chemicals from leaching into water and soil. An article published in Marine Debris Occurrence and Treatment: A Review, noted that although marine plastic debris is widespread, cleanups and organized collection efforts across the globe have gathered over 250 thousand tonnes of marine litter. Second, cleanups protect wildlife. Plastic pieces or wrappers are often mistaken by animals for food and ingested, resulting in blockage or poisoning. Harmful substances like broken glass or metal pose the risk of inflicting injuries or entanglements. Cleanups remove these immediate dangers. For example, the Environmental Literacy Council describes how removing six-pack rings, plastic bags, and fishing line reduces entanglement and ingestion hazards for a range of species.

Third, litter cleanups promote public health. The presence of litter encourages rodents and insects that can carry disease. According to the Environmental Literacy Council, the total removal of food packaging and garbage destroys breeding sites for vectors like mosquitoes and rats. Removal of sharp items reduces the risk of injury, especially among children playing outdoors. The Institute for Environmental Research and Education notes that the removal of hazardous litter makes public areas safer.

Fourth, cleanups affect the mindset and behavior of people. Participating in cleanups predisposes individuals to become more conscious of trash sources and more careful in throwing away their trash. Cleanups, according to the Environmental Literacy Council, provide concrete proof of where trash goes in public areas and that awareness is followed by reduced littering behavior. The majority of volunteers experience pride seeing immediate before-and-after results, which fosters follow-up action.

Fifth, there are significant social and economic benefits. In Scotland, volunteers are estimated to contribute over 280,000 hours in a year clearing litter from their local areas, which has an economic equivalent of over £2.5 million in local authority equivalent services. Through this process, they remove approximately 2.8 million kilograms of litter in this time. Clean streets also prompt more people to use public spaces, boost business prospects, and heighten property values, according to a number of sources. Neighborhoods with no visible litter are more inviting and reduce the perception of crime or neglect. In Buffalo, New York, a "Clean Sweeps" city-sponsored beautification and outreach effort in low-income communities found that after cleanups, residents submitted fewer blight-related service requests and drug-related crime 6 months after a cleanup near their property as compared to untreated properties. 

Sixth, long-term litter removal can facilitate ecological restoration. In a temperate steppe ecosystem, the removal of plant litter (non-organic and organic) for seven consecutive years was found to increase net ecosystem productivity by about 23.9% compared to where the litter was added rather than removed. This is an indication that the removal of extra material subjects the soil surface to increased sunlight, increases stability in plant communities, and allows the ecosystem to capture more carbon. 

In short, litter cleanups are not a waste of time. They reduce pollution and toxic threats, save wildlife, make communities healthier and safer, encourage positive behavior, and have both ecological and economic benefits. They are most effective when sustained over a duration of time and when complemented with public education and institutional dedication. Litter cleanup is integral to sustaining healthy urban and natural systems.

Sources Used:

Angus Jackson
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