The trashing of Delaware

Heaps of debris fill waterways and roadsides as litterbugs show no sign of letting up

From the The News Journal | delawareonline Sunday, March 15 2009

"Delaware, the Department of Transportation spent nearly $47,000 last year to clean up more than 14.6 tons of trash along state roads. "

"DelDOT can only be concerned with roadside litter," said Tina Shockley

"• Existing litter gives the impression that a community lacks pride, in turn sending a message that littering is acceptable.

• They believe that someone else will pick it up.

Additional Facts
GARBAGE LURKING NEAR YOU? TELL US
More than 12,000 miles of highways are maintained by the Delaware Department of Transportation.

They cut through the state's picturesque heartland and run along its scenic beaches.

They're also lined with trash -- piles and piles of trash.

Last year, the transportation department spent close to $50,000 to clear away the debris but the effort is becoming increasingly futile.

Motorists continue to throw everything from cigarette butts to fast-food wrappers out their windows as they careen down Del. 1.

The same is true in cities, where parks, streets and even front yards are strewn with litter.

The News Journal is asking readers to help clean up our state by directing us to problem spots in a new feature titled "Clean It Up."

If you see unsightly piles of trash in your neighborhood or elsewhere, e-mail us a precise location. Better yet, send us a photo.

We'll find out who's responsible and ask what can be done to clean up the mess. The results will be published periodically.

• People feel no sense of ownership in an area."