Take-out food containers continue to be the most common items found in Island ditches according to the Roadside Litter Survey Report – 2005.
In releasing the annual survey, Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry Jamie Ballem said litter continues to be a problem with an average of more than 150 items – not including cigarette butts – collected per survey site. Each site consists of a 100-metre stretch of roadway, with ditches on both sides of the road surveyed.
“It’s hard to believe but that translates into 1,500 pieces of litter in just one kilometre of roadway or 1.5 pieces of litter for every metre,” said Minister Ballem. “Through the Women’s Institute Roadside Cleanup, Adopt-A-Highway and the efforts of individual Islanders, a lot of this litter gets picked up so we may not realize the extent of the litter problem. However, for a province that has the reputation of being clean and green, the picture painted by the Roadside Litter Survey is clearly a concern.”
In order to get more detailed information on litter found on Island roadsides, the 2005 litter survey was “branded”. Rather than just identifying products such as cups, it also identifies the company that distributed the product.
Following are highlights of the survey results.
30% of the litter collected consisted of food containers. Within that category: Cups were the most common item, accounting for 9% of total roadside litter – that’s an average of 14 cups per site – while cup lids made up another 8% of litter. Looking at cups by brand, Tim Hortons cups accounted for 45% of littered cups. Paper packaging for food including sandwich and burger wrappers, lunch bags and french fry cartons formed 4% of roadside litter. Looking at results by brand, McDonald’s packaging comprised 35% of the paper packaging collected.
8% of litter consisted of confectionary items – chip bags, gum packaging, and bar and other candy wrappers. That’s about 12 items per site.
Beverage containers, including cans, plastic and glass bottles and cartons, accounted for another 8% of roadside litter. Glass bottles were the most common beverage container, and beer bottles accounted for more than half of the glass bottles collected.
Cigarette packs consisted of 7% of roadside litter – that’s about 11 items per site. Looking at the results by brand, Players and Number 7 comprised a total of 65% of cigarette packages found at roadside.
The survey included data on cigarette butts at three sites with results showing 529, 911, and 372 butts collected. Cigarette butts accounted for 79% of roadside litter at these three sites.
The annual roadside litter survey is conducted by the Southeast Environmental Association as part of the provincial litter awareness campaign. A joint effort of provincial government departments and agencies, industry sectors, and other interested groups, the campaign encourages Islanders and visitors to “Keep the Island clean. Put litter in its place.” The campaign committee includes representatives from the Tourism Industry Association of PEI, the Federated Women’s Institute, the City of Charlottetown, Tourism PEI, Island Waste Management Corporation and the Departments of Environment, Energy and Forestry and Transportation and Public Works.
Minister Ballem said the Roadside Litter Survey Report - 2005 is being provided to companies whose products are commonly found in Island ditches and they are being invited to take steps to help prevent littering in PEI.
Islanders are reminded that littering is not only unacceptable, but illegal. There are seven provincial acts under which littering charges can be laid, and many municipalities have anti-littering bylaws in place. In addition to throwing garbage from a vehicle, offences include not properly securing a load, littering while fishing, littering on the Confederation Trail, and leaving litter on trespassed property. Penalties include fines, a loss of points on a driver’s licence and a one-year suspension of a fishing licence.
The Roadside Litter Survey Report - 2005 is available from Island Information Service and online at www.gov.pe.ca/litter. For further information, or to report an incident of littering, call the litter hotline at 1-866-368-5024.
LITTER PREVENTION TIPS
There are many ways individuals, businesses, community groups and schools can help prevent littering in Prince Edward Island.
Never, under any circumstances, litter. If you are going fishing, to the beach or on another outing, take a bag or knapsack with you to carry your trash back home.
Let others know that littering is unacceptable.
Report littering offences to the toll free litter hotline, 1-866-368-5024.
Securely cover trash containers and dumpsters to prevent wind or animals from spreading litter.
If you are transporting materials in the back of your truck or in a trailer, cover and secure it so that nothing blows off.
Practise waste reduction: use a travel mug for your morning coffee, take cloth bags or plastic bins when you go shopping, and pack your lunch in reusable containers. Reducing the volume of waste generated each day reduces the potential for items to end up as litter.