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The Issues of Roadside Litter: A Review Paper
Summary
This review examined roadside litter as a growing environmental and public health problem, noting that COVID-19 dramatically increased discarded PPE and single-use plastics. Roadside litter is an important source of microplastics that enter stormwater runoff and ultimately reach rivers and the ocean.
Roadside litter is a growing problem in many countries around the world including the United States. More people, more vehicles, and more products are factors that have aggravated the problem over the years. Additionally, the global pandemic due to COVID-19 has drastically increased the amount of litter, particularly for certain types of products such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and single-use packaging items. The detriment of roadside litter is not limited to aesthetic problems. From a general perspective, litter is associated with social, economic, and environmental issues. Further, from a transportation standpoint, some types of roadside litter can interrupt the flow of traffic, cause delays, or even pose safety hazards to road users. This study conducts a review of the existing literature to depict a holistic perspective of the cause and extent of the problem in the U.S., as well as discusses the current litter abatement strategies. This paper looks at the behavioral aspect of littering, the characteristics of litter, and different prevention and removal strategies.
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