About
LITTER 101
Fines range from $500-$2,500
for littering in Virginia
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52% of roadway litter
comes from motorists and 23% from pedestrians
LITTER 101
$11.5 billion
is spent on litter pick-up operations each year in the U.S.
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9 Billion tons
of litter end up in the ocean each year
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50% of littered items
are cigarette butts
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75% of people
surveyed in the U.S. admitted
to littering in the past five years
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More than 51 billion pieces of litter
are released on American roadways each year - 6,729 items per mile of roadway annually
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Over $2 million
is spent each year by the Hampton Roads region to collect and dispose of litter
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230,565 cigarette ends
were picked up from Hampton roadways and public areas by Hampton Clean City Commission (HCCC) volunteers from July 2008 to June 2009
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VDOT spends approximately 3.5 million annually
in taxpayer dollars picking up litter
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460 volunteers
participated in the 2019 statewide cleanup
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8,100 lbs of litter
was collected in the 2019 statewide cleanup
New laws are helping fight litter in the Commonwealth. In 2021, the Virginia General Assembly increased the litter tax payment for businesses and also increased the fines for those who litter. Litterers can be fined from $500 for a first offense to $2,500 and community service for subsequent offenses.
The Virginia Department of Transportation created Virginia is for Lovers, Not Litter to raise awareness about Virginia’s litter challenge and to promote ways to preserve Virginia's picturesque roadways, landscapes and views.
Virginia has no love for litter, which is why Virginia is for Lovers, Not Litter aims to spark the conversation about keeping our beloved state litter-free. More trash cans and litter pick-up events are not the only solutions. We believe more pride, responsibility and love for Virginia is what it takes to keep it exquisite.
We want others to feel Virginia’s love, too. Tourism is a key economic driver for Virginia, and we want to leave a lasting impression on our guests. Virginia should be remembered for its beauty, hospitality and people – not for its litter.
Be a lover, not a litterer. Take the No Love for Litter Pledge and encourage others to spread the love, not litter, on Virginia’s roadways.
Share your litter pick-up story
Tag us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by using #valoversnotlitter
