Litter Prevention and Household Hazardous Waste ( HHW )
LITTER
Litter is an unsightly health hazard . However , many people do not realize that litter on the ground will pollute our water . Storm water systems are designed to take rainfall into the waterways and with the run off are carried trash , litter , and chemical waste . The nature of modern cities is to have extensive paved surfaces , resulting in litter that ends up in storm water systems . Whether someone dumps an auto ashtray at a curb , or drops a candy wrapper on the ground , the result is washed , untreated , into storm water systems and then into our waterways and onto our beaches . Litter in storm water systems impacts people , animals , fish , and plants .
The impact of litter and chemicals in our waterways on aquatic life and wildlife can be devastating : fish and other aquatic animals can be poisoned ; wildlife can become entangled in or suffocate from litter while searching for food ; and wildlife can contract diseases from eating or being exposed to rotting substances .
Litter in the waterways can also reduce oxygen to levels that suffocate aquatic plants , animals , and fish . These conditions , in turn , affect the quality of the water we drink and the water in which we play .
STORMWATER FACTS : 1 . Cigarette butts are the most littered item worldwide . An estimated 450 trillion cigarette butts are said to be littered each year .
2 . The City of Arlington conducts several litter clean-up events throughout the year .
3 . In the State of Texas , littering is illegal and the fine is up to $ 500 . The fine for dumping items more than 5 pounds is up to $ 2,000 .
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