Don’t Trash Our Stormwater

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• DO NOT LITTER! Carry a bag for waste along in the car to eliminate the temptation to throw it out the window. Put litter in your pocket until you find a recycling container or trash can.

• Reuse and recycle items whenever possible.

• Pick up ONE piece of litter every day! That's 365 less pieces of litter on our streets, in our parks, and around our schools thanks to you.

• Make sure your trash bins have lids that can be securely attached. Do not put out open containers or boxes filled with debris.

• Keep litter out of pick up truck beds and cover loads so items are not blown off to the ground.

• Join a clean-up event. Many civic groups host such events. One opportunity is the Jordan River #LoveYourWatershed events, the second Saturday of each month from March- October.

WOW! That’s a LOT of Trash!

Back in 1975, the National Academy of Sciences determined that approximately 1.4 billion pounds of litter and other persistent solid material was being tossed into the world’s oceans. In the nearly five decades since that estimate was calculated, Americans have increasingly adopted the use of non-biodegradable, single-use plastics. The amount of plastic produced globally has increased at the steady rate of about 9 percent per year, with around 280 million tons produced in 2011 alone, yet recycling rates have not kept pace, so an increasing amount of waste ends up in landfills, incinerators, and in the environment. Plastic in the marine environment breaks into smaller and smaller pieces and it is eaten—often with fatal consequences—by fish and birds. Aquatic debris threatens sensitive ecosystems, has been documented to kill or harm nearly 700 wildlife species, interferes with navigation, degrades natural habitats, costs millions of dollars in lost revenue, and is also a threat to human health and safety. (We must) invest considerable time, energy and resources in an effort to stop the flow of litter before it washes into our waterways. - From NRDC Issue Brief: Waste in Our Waterways

Pick up and throw away trash from sidewalks, parking lots, streets and gutters. In addition to blocking waterways, trash carries harmful bacteria, oils, and chemicals directly into our waterways.

Trash left on streets, sidewalks, parks, and parking lots does not simply disappear—it often becomes stormwater pollution. Unlike water that flows to a wastewater treatment plant, stormwater runoff travels across hard surfaces and enters storm drains without treatment. Along the way, it picks up litter such as plastic bottles, food wrappers, cigarette butts, cups, cans, and other debris before carrying it directly into local creeks, rivers, wetlands, and eventually the Great Salt Lake. This pollution harms water quality, damages wildlife habitat, and reduces the beauty and health of the places where we live, work, and recreate.

Even during dry weather, trash can accumulate in gutters, along curbs, and near storm drains. A single rainstorm or rapid snowmelt can wash months of litter into the storm drain system in just a few hours. Plastic waste can break down into tiny microplastics that persist in the environment for decades and can be ingested by fish, birds, and other wildlife. Larger items can clog storm drains, contribute to localized flooding, and create costly maintenance challenges for communities. Every piece of litter that stays on the ground has the potential to become water pollution when the next storm arrives.

Everyone can help protect Salt Lake County's waterways by taking a few simple actions. Always place trash and recycling in secure containers with lids, pick up litter when you see it, and never leave waste near storm drains. Reduce single-use plastics by choosing reusable water bottles, shopping bags, and food containers whenever possible. If you notice an overflowing trash can in a park or public space, report it to the appropriate agency so it can be emptied before the next storm. Small actions taken by many people can make a significant difference in keeping stormwater clean and protecting the creeks, rivers, and lakes that connect us all—because we all live downstream.

Sewers and storm systems are separate systems – what goes into storm drains flows directly into our community’s waterways and waterbodies, Unfiltered and untreated.

LESS TRASH POLLUTION BY MAKING LESS WASTE

The best way to ensure that less trash ends up in our waterways is to have less trash to discard in the first place. Many organizations and individuals have adopted Zero Waste policies and Waste Conscious lifestyles. You can visit these sites to learn more:

At Home:

• Toward Zero Waste

• 100 Tips to Get to Zero

• Zero Waste for Beginners- How to Get Started

• Toward Zero Waste for Kids

Work/Industry Examples:

• Awesome Companies with Zero Waste Policies

• Microsoft Commits to Achieve Zero Waste Goals by 2030

• Signify- Zero Manufacturing Waste to Landfill Commitment