Keep our state safe, clean and breathtakingly beautiful.

We Keep WA Litter Free campaign

A vehicle litter bag slung around a passenger seat. Either fancy or plain, litter bags promote proper disposal of commonly littered items.

Keep a litter bag in your vehicle to prevent roadside litter. Learn more.

Litter is a big problem with a simple solution — everyone in Washington doing their part.

Most people don’t litter. But the actions of the few who do add up to expensive cleanups, dangerous road conditions, and a big environmental impact. Every year, Washington’s state and local governments spend millions of dollars to clean up litter, but those efforts only remove a fraction of the millions of pounds of waste that accumulate every year on roads, in communities, and throughout natural habitats.

 

Live litter free and help others do the same

Stop litter at the source

image of litter bag from video spot

Keep a litter bag in your vehicle.

image of secured load from partner photos

Cover and secure items you’re hauling in a pickup or trailer.

image of portable ashtray from video

If you smoke, keep a portable ashtray in your vehicle.

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image of bag being thrown away at gas station from video

When you're driving, throw away trash at your destination or at a gas station or rest area.

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Encourage your friends and family to live litter free too.
 

The impact of litter

Every year, more than 26 million pounds of litter is tossed or blown onto Washington’s roadways and interchanges. Public areas, like rest areas, parks, and recreation areas, see an additional 11.6 million pounds of litter per year.

Our 2022 litter study shows there is an average of 73,580 pieces of litter (1,579 pounds) per mile per year on Washington’s interstate highways. Local roads are the least littered and still have 18,051 pieces of litter (143 pounds) per mile per year.

Litter isn't just ugly, it's dangerous. Roadside litter causes hundreds of car crashes every year and many types of litter, like cigarette butts, leach harmful chemicals into natural habitats.

In 2023, litter-pickup programs we funded collected more than 5.6 million pounds of litter from more than 20,800 miles of roads, costing almost $8 million. We need everyone’s help to turn the tide on litter.

Litter Laws

Littering or driving with an unsecured vehicle load in Washington could result in fines up to $5,000. Learn more about the state's litter laws.

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