Litter along East 5th Avenue. Photo by KKB.
Here in Tennessee, there are an estimated 88 million pieces of litter on our roads and in our waterways.
E 5th Ave after a KKB volunteer cleanup. Photo by KKB.
The majority of litter is recyclable products, such as paper and plastic
Local roads — roads that aren’t state routes or highways — have 80% of the litter in Tennessee
Intentional litter has increased 18% since 2016
Litter negatively impacts not only the environment, but also human health — chemical leaching and microplastics present huge problems for us!
So how do we help?
The best way to handle litter is to prevent it where it starts. You can dispose of waste by recycling, taking it to hazardous waste facilities, or putting it securely in the trash.
We can also make efforts to clean up litter that is already on our roads and in our waterways — here at Keep Knoxville Beautiful, we coordinate litter pickups all around the city, as well as lend supplies to individuals or groups who want to do a cleanup on their own! You can also join our Adopt-A-Road program; according to TDOT, adopted roads have significantly less litter than those not adopted.