A Message from the Maricopa Association of Governments:

Thank you for caring enough about the beauty of our region to visit the Don’t Trash Arizona! Web site.

As elected officials, we have heard from many of you that you believe freeway litter is a serious concern in our state. It is for us, too.

Don’t Trash Arizona! is a joint effort among the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to reduce unsightly litter along our state and regional freeways.

MAG provided $279 million in funding over the next 20 years to support litter pickup, landscape maintenance and litter education efforts. The good news is the program is already working: the Arizona Department of Public Safety recently announced there has been a 25 percent decrease in citations for littering and a 30 percent decrease in citations for unsecured loads. We do think motorists are beginning to get the message.

The biggest problem is that people don’t think one small item like a gum wrapper or cigarette butt matters. But when you have 3.7 million people in the Valley, it adds up to a big problem. Cigarette butts, by the way, not only are ugly and create fire hazards; they also contain toxic chemicals that can be washed into storm drains and into our groundwater.

Another major problem is unsecured loads. Sixty percent of littering is deliberate, but 40 percent of litter comes from trash or other debris that blows or falls from vehicles such as pickups or trailers. Not all of this debris is made up of paper and lightweight items—mattresses, ladders, couch cushions, bedliners, appliances and camper shells are just a few of the common types of road debris responsible for tens of thousands of accidents and numerous fatalities and injuries each year.

So what can you do to help? There are some very easy steps people can take to reduce freeway litter:

Use litterbags and dispose of trash properly.
Don’t throw trash in the beds of pickups and secure your loads with tarps and tie downs.
Keep your cigarette butts in the car.
If you see someone littering from a vehicle in Arizona, please call 1-877-3Litter.

It comes down to the pride you have in the place you live. Protect the unparalleled beauty of our state: please, Don’t Trash Arizona!