3 minute read
Connecticut Cleanup Report: Revealing the Impact of Litter
Inspiring action for a cleaner and healthier region
Our first Connecticut Cleanup Report highlights the scale and impact of litter in Connecticut and is intended to be a resource for helping change the way we consume single-use plastics and other disposables. The data in this report, which include types of trash, number of pieces, and total weight, are used to advocate for policy change in Connecticut and beyond to stop trash at its source.
Cigarette butts, food wrappers, and small plastic pieces have been the top three most common trash types recovered by our cleanup volunteers for the past six years. The data also show Styrofoam and balloons as persistent trash types on the ground and in the Sound. On average, Connecticut Cleanup volunteers collect more than 100 pieces of Styrofoam trash at each cleanup and more than 400 Mylar or rubber balloons each year.
“All of these trash types pose serious threats to human and animal health, including ingestion, suffocation, and chemical leaching,” says Ecological Restoration Administrator and Volunteer Coordinator Annalisa Paltauf. “Additionally, any plastic trash contributes to the growing abundance of microplastics as they break up into smaller and smaller pieces that become increasingly difficult to remove from the environment. I am excited to use the report to inspire more people to join cleanups and remove these hazards from our parks, rivers, and beaches.”
