EarthDay '24: Toppling Texas, CALIFORNIA #1 "Death by Littering" State

by STEVE SPACEK, Director, American State Litter Scorecard (litterscorecard.com)

On Monday--the 54th anniversary of Earth Day--CALIFORNIA has outnumbered "death-toll" leader Texas to become America's top "Death by Littering " State. With 116 losing there lives in 2022 (most recent year available), more people were killed annually by incidents with waste in the Golden State than in any other U.S. governmental body. However, most states across America-- away from the Far West -- have seen stability, even declines, in these type of fatalities, asserts Steve Spacek, Director of the American State Litter Scorecard (litterscorecard.com) and a National Public Performance Specialist.

The released data showed nearby Far West States-- Nevada, Arizona and Washington--having more deaths than previous years. But Oregon was the lone regional state reporting no fatality increases from waste littering and dumping in the 2021 and 2o22 annual measurement periods.

A NHTSA Requests official contacted Spacek by written email, stating that “the data is accurate to the best of our knowledge, as each of the 50 states (lead police agencies) provide us the fatal crash data.”

Roughly three (3) Americans are killed each day from vehicular and non-vehicular brushes with un-removed waste and related debris upon roads, sidewalks, trails. waterways and parks. "These life-ending incidents with 'unfixed objects' can occur anytime and anywhere, under all types of weather," according to Spacek.

From 2008 to 2018, California, along with Washington and Oregon, made entries into Spacek's Scorecard "Best" or 'Least Waste Littered States." But in 2020, Los Angeles and Las Vegas were the only two Western USA communities exposed among the "USA's Biggest 15 Most Waste Littered Cities," where rubbish is widespread, visible. In Los Angeles County alone, approximately 12 people are killed each year due to pedestrian and vehicular encounters with waste and related debris. Only New York City will usually see more dead from littering and dumping within a single year.

For California and The Far West as a whole, studies show Persons Age 16-25, Construction/ Landscaping Workers and Cigarette/Vapor Smokers are the groups inclined to litter or dump solid wastes onto public spaces. “Too many in these groups are just not getting the message. Engaging in littering and dumping does indeed damage our Earth and the lives of 1000s of children and adults,” said Spacek.

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