Litter News Stories

2016 News Stories

Charleston, S.C. Post and Courier, July 30, 2016
Charleston, Folly Beach consider curbing plastic bag use; could bring national fight to South Carolina

The Christian Science Monitor, July 28, 2016
On a walk with Michael Dukakis as he picks up litter

Rocky Mount Telegram, July 13, 2016
Frank Perry:  Litter-free N.C. -- A Clean State is a Safer State

Mount Olive Tribune, July 5, 2016
Rampant littering along Hwy. 117 'disheartening'

WWAY-TV, June 21, 2016
N. Topsail Beach Using App, Ambassador Program to Address Litter

WNCN-TV, June 18, 2016
100 Volunteers Collect 400 Pounds of Recycling, 500 Pounds of Trash from Raleigh Lake

WITN-TV, May 24, 2016
State clean up crew gets to work in Duplin County

WGHP-TV, May 22, 2016
North CarolinMan Accused of Dumping 500 pounds of litter next to railroad

The Tennessean, May 3, 2016
Tennessee must address persistent litter problem

Asheboro Tribune, April 15, 2016
Spring Litter Sweep Planned

Laurinburg Exchange, April 5, 2016
County Ready for Spring Cleaning

WNCT-TV, March 3, 2016
Possible ban on plastic bags in Greenville moves one step closer

New Bern Sun Journal, February 21, 2016
Looking Trashy:  Activists, agencies seek solution to litter problem 

Raleigh News and Observer, February 19, 2016
With help, Wilson's Mills is cleaning up its litter

2015 News Stories

The Mountaineer (Haywood County) March 30, 2015
Recliner Causes Five-Car Wreck
Five cars crashed trying to avoid a recliner that was not properly secured in the back of a pick-up truck, according to State Higway Patrol Trooper Hunter Hooper.  One person was taken to the hospital.

WTVD, Thursday, March 19, 2015
North Carolina officials cracking down on litterbugs

The Gaston Gazette - Feb. 9, 2015
Who do you call to report litterers or roadside trash?   
The Answer Man, Mark Barrett, explains who is responsible for litter clean-up in Gaston County.

The Shelby Star - Jan. 20, 2015
Talking Trash about People Who Litter
The biggest cause of littered roads and highways, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, is unsecured loads in the back of trucks.

The second most common type of litter comes from discarded fast food bags, wrappers and cups. And from surveys done by Keep America Beautiful, the demographic dumping the majority of trash is those in the 18-34 age range. Their explanation of this phenomenon is that this age group still feels like it is someone else's job to clean up after them. This changes when they either have a family or their own house/condo; apparently, a financial responsibility translates to a more worldly responsibility.  

2014

WTVD-TV - Nov. 6, 2014
Loose Loads Make Dangerous Roads
The Highway Patrol says there have been 2500 hundred accidents and more than 4400 tickets given out because of debris which fell on roads from vehicles throughout the state in the past 5 years.  "It's very dangerous," said NCSHP Sergeant Michael Baker.

The Asheville Citizen-Times - April 4, 2014
Cigarette butts, oftentimes thrown out of vehicles, have been known to cause wildfires, and the toxins from the cigarettes can make their way into rivers and streams.

The Asheville Citizen-Times Editorial - April 9, 2014
People cause our litter problem, and people can solve it (by not littering).

The Robesonian - April 6, 2014
Scouts hit road to clean up the garbage left by others

Jacksonville Daily News - March 10, 2014
Governor Pat McCrory joined Public Safety Secretary Frank L. Perry and North Carolina State Highway Patrol Colonel Bill Grey today to kick off a new statewide anti-litter campaign: Litter Free NC.