Unsecured loads and debris cause 1,800 crashes per year. UDOT crews have seen an increase of litter on Utah’s roads, as time spent cleaning up litter has increased 28% in the last five years. Costs are rising as well; UDOT now spends $2.5 million per year cleaning up ladders, mattresses, appliances, and other garbage from highways and interstates.
I think this is interesting as there trash is piling on on Utah’s roads, because this speaks to how big of a problem this is and the increasing pervasiveness of this problem. 1800 crashes is a lot of crashes and thats just from litter. Weird that people can lose ladders onto highways.
Gleason says “I think there are a lot of good intentions. I don’t think anyone sets out with the idea that they’re going to litter or drop something on the road.” The state has grown, and now 3.2 million people live in Utah, and each of us throws stuff away every day. Or at least we think we do. A lot of garbage does not make it to the landfill, the leaks can start in our own homes. Dustin Bradshaw, Salt Lake County’s Waste Collection Manager says, “if you have an overfilled can, windy days or not windy days, the lids aren’t completely closed. Sometimes, as soon as the driver is trying to service the can, trash will spill out.”
It is interesting that people can accidentally litter without any intention to do so, since its commonly thought of as an action that people do with intention to make the world worse. I usually try to make sure my garbage can stays closed. There are a lot of people in utah so inevitably it seems many people lose garbage onto the road.
Gleason says the bottom line is, “It really comes down to you and me as individuals and what we will do to help address the problem. Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution, tie down your cargo, and make sure you’re not littering.”
I think its kinda odd that someone can be driving, and not notice their cargo fall out of their car, wouldn’t that make a loud bang sound? I guess on the highway it would be pretty dangerous to pull over and reattach the cargo though.
All About Litter and Trash in Utah
Truck driver generated debris is another separate problem localized to interstate ramps. It is not what we pickup for that $1.8 million - it’s what we don’t get picked up that is the problem. With our current practices and enforcement, roadsides get re-littered in as little as six weeks. Some, like SR-201 west towards the Salt Lake County landfill fill up even faster.
I need to do research on truck driver generated debris, because I don’t know what kind of problem that is. Its kinda crazy that theres more litter near the landfill. It makes sense, but thats like leaving trash outside of a trash can, surely it should be easy enough to bring it back when you notice it fell out.
Visiting Utah’s public lands? Human feces, trash and debris may await you
“When the land is mistreated or marred with graffiti, while devastating, we are only strengthened in our resolve to educate the public about responsible land use, and to ensure the Zion experience remains intact for future generations.” National park officials, state park managers, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management all have been overwhelmed this year with dramatic increases in visitation while at the same time tasked with caring for the land with flat budgets or even a bottom line that has seen sharp reductions.
This article is more related to more human sized litter that harms the environment, rather than road litter that harms motorists. Its not great that the Bureau of Land Management is losing budget when they need more money than ever with the increased visitations and resulting increased litter and other harmful things to the land.
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