Litter-prevention campaign raises awareness that litter hurts

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - November 21, 2002

02-210

Litter-prevention campaign raises awareness that litter hurts

OLYMPIA - People across Washington have apparently heard the message that if they litter, it will hurt - and they believe it.

The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) launched its "Litter and it will hurt" campaign last April, aimed at reducing litter on Washington roadways by letting people know littering can lead to fines that hurt financially.

The campaign is using multiple strategies over a three-year period to raise awareness, alter beliefs and change behaviors. Elements include humorous television and radio advertisements during the summer months, a year-round litter hotline, increased enforcement, roadway and retail signs, a Web site, and distribution of litterbags and campaign materials.

"We made good progress this year at increasing awareness about the penalties for littering," said Megan Warfield, coordinator of Ecology's litter campaign. "In time, we hope that results in less litter along our roads and highways."

In a September comparison to an April benchmark study, results showed:

51 percent of respondents had seen or heard the slogan "Litter and it will hurt" (up from 14 percent in the benchmark study).
70 percent of respondents remembered seeing road signs, posters or a slogan about litter (up from 57 percent).
32 percent remembered seeing or hearing advertising, news or public service messages about littering (up from 23 percent).
28 percent were aware of a toll-free number to report littering (up from 20 percent).
17 percent believed they are not likely to get caught and fined. This is down from 27 percent in April who believed they were not likely to get caught.
42 percent of respondents would say that fines for littering are very severe or severe (up from 31 percent).

At the end of the three years, Ecology will conduct a full survey of the quantity and types of litter in Washington to measure the effects of the campaign.

The ad campaign will start again in the spring of 2003, but the toll-free litter hotline is still operating. Citizens may report the license-plate numbers of litterers by calling 866-LITTER-1. The registered owner of the vehicle then receives a stern letter from Washington State Patrol.

There were 55 calls in April, increasing to 941 in July, 1,129 in August, and then decreasing slightly 1,027 in September, when the ad campaign ended.

The Washington State Patrol is playing a key role in the new litter campaign. From May to August 2002, 1,755 litter citations were issued by patrol officers. Twenty-three percent of those citations were for "lit-debris" (e.g. a lit cigarette butt), which carries a $950 fine.

"We're very pleased that there has been measurable success," said Warfield. "On top of that, response from the public has been positive. People are glad to see the state addressing the issue."

Contact: Megan Warfield, litter programs coordinator, 360-407-6963
Caitlin Cormier, public information manager, 360-407-6149; pager, 360-971-5536

Statewide litter programs: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/litter

Litter-campaign information (click on "Evaluation" for results of the initial campaign): http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/litter/campaign.html