For release:
December 12, 2005

For Information Contact:
Brenda Flores-Dollar, TxDOT, 512-486-5904
Laura Grove Riddles, EnviroMedia, 512-689-8945

New Study Suggests 33 Percent Drop in Highway Litter as Don’t Mess with Texas Prepares for 20th Anniversary
Cigarette butts still biggest litter problem

Click here to download the Visible Litter Study Fact Sheet

(AUSTIN) ­– As 2006 approaches, the popular Don’t Mess with Texas litter prevention campaign has even more than a 20 th anniversary to celebrate. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has learned annual accumulation of roadside litter has dropped by about a third since 2001.

New research commissioned by TxDOT reveals total annual litter accumulation fell below 1 billion pieces in 2005 to 827 million pieces. This is compared with 1.25 billion pieces accumulated in 2001, resulting in a 33 percent drop in roadside litter. The “Visible Litter Study,” conducted by NuStats Inc. in both 2001 and 2005, is based on the collection and analysis of litter across Texas . “We are encouraged by these results because it indicates our efforts are working,” said Doris Howdeshell, TxDOT Travel Division Director. “Even though the research suggests an overall decrease in litter, we’re still concerned about how much tobacco litter exists – especially cigarette butts. Unfortunately, food packaging like burger wrappers, take-out bags, soft drink cups and chip bags is almost as problematic.” The Visible Litter Study documented the most commonly littered items:

• Cigarette Butts: Decreased by 10 percent between 2001 and 2005, but tobacco-related products are still the most common litter on Texas roadways, accounting for 33 percent of all litter found.
• Food/Fast Food: More than one-fourth (29 percent) of all litter is food-related, ranging from fast food packaging to candy wrappers.
• Nonalcoholic Cans and Bottles: Eleven percent of the litter is classified as nonalcoholic beverage items, including soft drink cans, soft drink bottles, straws and cup lids.
• Increased Traffic Equals Increased Litter : Roadways with heavy traffic accumulate more trash. Litter accumulation decreased on all road types, but state highways saw the largest reduction, from about 333 million items in 2001 to just more than 170 million items in 2005.

Most Common Brands Most Texas litter (61 percent) can be identified by its brand name. The three most common brands found in the study are Marlboro Light® (18 percent), Marlboro® (13 percent) and McDonalds® (3 percent). Methodology

Similar litter studies were also conducted in 1995 and 2001. This groundbreaking approach to the study gained national recognition in 2002, earning a Bronze Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America, and honorable mention from PR Week for “Best Use of Research and Measurement.” In all three studies, researchers collected litter from Texas roadways, sorted it by hand, and then studied its type, brand, where it originated and the location where it was found. For the 2005 study, researchers collected and analyzed litter from 129 sites throughout the state, each consisting of a 750-foot stretch of TxDOT-maintained roadway. After an average of 32 days, researchers returned to each site to gather and bag the litter. The process accurately measures litter accumulation rates as well as the litter’s composition.  Litter Cleanup Costs It costs an estimated$35.5 million to clean up litter on Texas highways every year. Despite indications that the amount of litter is decreasing, litter costs keep rising. Each year, wages for state contractors to clean up litter and the number of Texas roadways rise, increasing expenses for litter pickup throughout Texas.  

Don’t Mess with Texas 20 th Anniversary The results of the 2005 Visible Litter Study precede a year-long celebration of the Don't Mess with Texas 20th Anniversary in 2006. During the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic on January 2, TxDOT will premiere a special 20th anniversary TV public service announcement featuring more Texas celebrities than any previous spot. Throughout the year, advertising and promotions will reach more than 22 million Texans with the litter prevention message. “The Cotton Bowl is really where Don’t Mess with Texas got its start,” said Howdeshell. “We aired the first spot, featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan, during the Cotton Bowl in 1986.” Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is an official sponsor of the 20 th Anniversary of the Don’t Mess with Texas campaign.

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TxDOT’s Don’t Mess with Texas litter prevention campaign has been educating Texans about litter prevention since 1986. For more information, visit http://www.dontmesswithtexas.org.