TITLE:
The Issues of Roadside Litter: A Review Paper
AUTHORS:
Kasra Karimi, Ardeshir Faghri
KEYWORDS:
Litter, Roadside, Road, Trash, Environmental
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.9 No.4,
December
15,
2021
ABSTRACT: Roadside
litter is a growing problem in many countries around the world including the
United States. More people, more vehicles, and more products are factors that
have aggravated the problem over the years. Additionally, the global pandemic due
to COVID-19 has drastically increased the amount of litter, particularly for
certain types of products such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and
single-use packaging items. The detriment of roadside litter is not limited to
aesthetic problems. From a general perspective, litter is associated with social, economic, and environmental issues. Further, from a
transportation standpoint, some types of roadside litter can interrupt the flow
of traffic, cause delays, or even pose safety hazards to road users. This study conducts a review of the
existing literature to depict a holistic perspective of the cause and extent of
the problem in the U.S., as well as discusses the current litter abatement strategies. This paper
looks at the behavioral aspect of littering, the characteristics of litter, and
different prevention and removal strategies.