Don’t Trash Our Stormwater

TRASH IS ONE OF THE LEADING SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION

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.

Sources of water pollution like industrial wastes from factories have been greatly reduced in recent years. It is now estimated that more than 60% of water pollution comes from trash and litter, excess fertilizer, pet waste. The biggest contributor of water pollution today is not industry. Most water pollution now comes from the collective of homes and households. When trash such as plastic bags, bottles, cigarette butts, etc. is thrown on the ground, it gets washed into storm drains and directly into our waterways. In addition to potentially choking, suffocating, or disabling aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds, litter decreases oxygen levels in the water when it decays. Litter is one of the most unsightly forms of pollution in our local waterway, but it can easily be prevented. Most litter can be recycled, which not only protects the environment, it saves our natural resources.

Additionally, each of us can do small things to help clean up our water.

Sewers and storm systems are separate systems – what goes into storm drains flows directly into the environment, untreated.

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.

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

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