What is Litter?

Litter has evolved from an aesthetic problem to a

broader environmenal issue. Litter can be described

as a wasted material that is put in the wrong place.

Much of our litter problem is found in our City's

downtown cores and parts as well as schoolgrounds

and commercial areas, particularly along chain-link fences.

The Environmental Impact of Litter

• reduces the aesthetic appeal of public places and can affect property values
• provides a breeding ground for animals and pests that can cause disease
• can kill animals directly (choking) and indirectly by impacting on water quality
• can cause blockages of the City's draining system and flooding
• can pose a hazard to people when it involves broken glass, needles, etc.
• can pose a fire hazard
• costs the community huge sums of money every year. The City of Cambridge's 2002 budget includes $134,520 for the pick up and disposal of large items that are regularly dumped on our roadsides. The Community Services Department also budgets approximately $70,000 to cover the cost of labour required for an intense clanup of city parks every spring.

Roadside Litter Can Last for Centuries

Paper: 2-4 weeks

Wool sock - 1 year

Tin can - 100 years

Plastic - 450 years

Cigarettes are the most littered item in the world. It is estimated that several trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate and can take decades to degrade. Cigarette litter ruins the most picturesque settings and the toxic residue in ciagrette filters is damagingto the environment.

What can you do?

• Set an example by not littering.
• As people to pick up their litter.
• Keep a litterbag in your car.
• Keep your yard clean and free of things that can blow into the street and become litter.
• When visiting public places, remember to TAKE OUT WHAT YOU BRING IN. Keep trash in a bag until you can dispose of it properly.
• Remove flyers promptly from your front door before they are blown into the neighbourhood as litter.
• Do not overfill garbage containers. Exposed garbage can result in street litter.
• Organise or participate in a community cleanup project.

CITY GREEN is a Cambridge volunteer group that promotes and facilitates local environmental projects. City Green volunteers track local areas that have been cleaned up and provide information about areas that require cleanup. If you or your group would like to organize a clean-up, City Green will help get you started. City employees will provide garbage bags and remove the collected debris to the local transfer station. For more info contact Brenda Sims at 740-4650 ext. 4526 or e-mail her at simsb@city.cambridge.on.ca TAKE OUT WHAT YOU BRING IN