What is litter?

• Improperly contained trash or trash out of place

Where does litter come from?

• Drivers and passengers
• Pedestrians
• Uncovered loads (number 1 cause of highly visible roadside litter)
• Uncovered trash cans and dumpsters
• Construction sites
• Overflowing trash cans and dumpsters
• Trash improperly or not containerized
• Loading docks

What can you do to help?

• Don't throw trash on the ground!!! Hold onto it until you can get to a trash can.
• Do not put trash on the curb without being containerized and without a secured lid.
• Keep a litter bag in your vehicle at all times to place trash in.
• Cover and tie down trash when transporting.
• Make sure your building site is equipped with a large dumpster and make sure it is periodically emptied.
• Make sure your loading docks are litter free at all times so the wind can not carry it around.

Litter moves from one place to another by:

• Wind
• Water
• Weather
• Traffic
• Animals

Clean Builder's Checklist

• Inform all employees and subcontractors of the intent to maintain a clean job site and whenever possible, reduce waste and recycle salvageable materials
• Stress that participation is mandatory, not optional
• At pre-construction conferences, stress the importance of maintaining a clean job site
• Subcontractors are responsible for monitoring their supplies and employees
• Send a written notice to any subcontractor or supplier who fail to clean up
• Treat noncompliance the same as any other violation of your contract
• Make arrangements for employee garbage. Require that employees comply
  • Designate an area for breaks. Require that employees comply
  • Designate a person to police the site for litter each day
  • Empty containers as needed, but not in any container with construction trash
• Develop a plan to keep dirt from the project off the street and out of nearby waterways
• Arrange for a dumpster or roll-off container for all subcontractors to dispose of trash and debris
• Evaluate the possible of recycling construction waste i.e. lumber, drywall, cardboard and metal. Keep recyclable waste separated from other waste
• If recycling is not a practical option, make every effort to reuse salvaged materials i.e. Habitat For Humanity type organizations
• Be sure that all hazardous waste is disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local requirements

Benefits for Following this Clean Builder's Checklist:

• Cleaner job-sites, which ultimately reduce liability
• Positive visibility in the community-good advertising
• Through waste reduction and/or recycling, lower waste disposal costs
• Less litter on nearby streets and less chance of being fined for littering
• Environmentally aware contractors, subcontractors and workers

^ Back to top