Litter Programs

Litter Awareness & Program Information

Learn the 7 Sources of Litter - Why do people litter?
Get Involved Below - Adopt-A-Road Program
Get Involved Below - Great American Cleanup / Hancock County Spring Cleanup
KAB Litter Index Report -Hancock County

Did You Know?

According to Ohio Law, litter is defined as any debris that is thrown or dropped by a person on public property that is not privately owned by the individual. This law includes state waterways.

Seven Sources of Litter

No matter where litter starts, it moves. From streets and highways to parks and waterways. Wind and weather move litter around a community, into gutters, planted gardens, alleyways, and parking areas. In one study, researchers found that 18% of all littered items end up in our streams and waterways as pollution.

We know that there are seven primary sources of litter:

Pedestrians or cyclists who do not use proper receptacles.
Motorists who do not use vehicle ashtrays or car litter bags.
Business dumpsters that are improperly covered
Loading docks and commercial or residential marinas with inadequate waste receptacles
Construction and demolition sites without a tarp and receptacles to contain debris and waste.
Trucks with uncovered loads on local roads and highways.
Household trash is scattered before or during collection.

Keep America Beautiful has determined that people litter because:

They feel no sense of ownership, even though areas such as parks and beaches are public property.
They believe someone else - park maintenance or highway worker- will pick up after them.
The litter has already accumulated - so what's a little more

What Can You Do to Help?

…..by modeling proper trash and waste disposal, you will cause others to consider their actions, too. The Hancock County Solid Waste Management District has a limited staff that is responsible for overseeing and maintaining the 532 sq. miles of roadways. Your efforts of proper disposal methods and debris collection will help keep our community beautiful.

Participate in the Adopt-A-Road Program

With this program, the Hancock County Solid Waste District offers community service opportunities for families, church groups, clubs, schools, youth and adult organizations, businesses, and other special interest groups. Having an active roll in the environment shows pride and responsibility for our community as well as provides education and awareness to future generations.

Interested volunteer groups and participants accept the responsibility of collecting litter and other debris from a designated two-mile section of county or township roadway (of their choosing) four times a year for a two-year period. In recognition of the group's efforts, Hancock County Solid Waste Management District will post signs at your selected designated roadway cleanup site. For more information please email Hancock SWMD or call 419-424-7210.

Download the Adopt-A-Road Application (PDF)

Due to ongoing community concerns regarding COVID-19, the spring cleanup event has been postponed. Check back for rescheduling information.

View the SCU Volunteer Letter (PDF) to learn how to get involved.

View/download the Hancock County 2020 SCU Registration Form and the Volunteer Waiver (PDF) to get your group involved.

The Hancock County Solid Waste District will be holding it Annual Spring Cleanup in April. This event is in affiliation with Keep America Beautiful's (KAB) Great American Cleanup. The Great American Cleanup embodies America's can-do spirit with millions of volunteers taking the environment into their own hands. Americans are rallying together to clean up graffiti, eliminate litter, and preserve our waterways to create a cleaner, safer, and more beautiful environment for generations to come.

A cleaner environment allows for a more beautiful, safer, and healthier community in which everyone can enjoy living and working within. As a community, we all need to take responsibility and achieve this goal for our environment. In 2014 we had over 1,500 volunteers locally that worked more than 22000 hours to collect 1100 pounds of debris and 20 tires. Volunteers covered nearly 140 miles of Hancock County.

Participating groups, organizations, clubs, and troops may conduct their one-time clean-up at any time during the month of April. After the work is done, there will be an appreciation breakfast to be held on Saturday, April 25th. Spring Clean Up Registration is required for appreciation luncheon details.

If you would like to sign your group up to participate in the Hancock County Spring Cleanup, please print the above link for an SCU Registration form or email the Hancock SWMD for details.

Litter Awareness Week Activities Include

April 22nd Earth Day - Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, people around the world have been celebrating this wonderful planet we call Earth and all of its forests, waters, plants, animals, and people. In Ohio, we need your help to make every day Earth Day.
April 23rd Business and Industry Awareness Day - Start a recycling program in your break rooms to increase awareness - for more information how to gain a recycling component in the office contact the Solid Waste Management District.
April 24th Clean Your Files Day - Most record retention requirements indicate that files can be destroyed/recycled after 7 to 10 years. Any chance yours are older than that? Recycle those old files and save a tree or two in the process!
April 25th Annual Spring Cleanup - Participate in the largest litter collection of the year. Be a part of the national Keep America Beautiful - Great American Cleanup Campaign. Sign up to clean an area of road and afterward celebrate a better environment by joining other environmentally savvy groups for a short appreciation breakfast. Get more details by registering with the forms above or by contacting Hancock SWMD.
- Hancock County Solid Waste Management District (SWMD)
  300 S Main Street
  Findlay, Ohio 45840
  Email SWMD
April 26th Church Bulletin Day - Collect all the bulletins after your service...either use them for the next service or simply remember to recycle them! Sharing knowledge is extremely important to closing the loop. The Solid Waste Management District offers classroom presentations and activities to help promote recycling and litter prevention awareness programs in your school. Call to schedule your presentation.
April 27th Recycle It/Compost It Day - Empty those recycling bins; crush those cans; compost those food scraps. Taking something old and making it into something new is a vital part of our environment. Today (April 27, 2020) is an APPROVED Monday for the collection of Household Hazardous Waste Materials to be collected at the Litter Landing Recycling Facility... don't miss an opportunity to recycle those hazards that have been piling up in the garage! From 10 am to 1 pm while Rader Environmental is on-site to collect it (Litter Landing cannot accept the materials any other time)
April 28th Environmental Education Day- Sharing knowledge is extremely important to closing the loop. The Solid Waste Management District offers classroom presentations and activities to help promote recycling and litter prevention awareness programs in your school.
- Call 419-424-7210 or email Hancock SWMD to schedule your presentation today!

KAB Litter Index Report - Hancock County

Looking at litter is the place to begin the first step in the litter prevention education process. The Keep America Beautiful Litter Index is a credible and simple tool that allows quick and reliable visual assessment of the types of litter present in a community. The data obtained through the Litter Index determines the types of community improvement programs needed to address current conditions and achieve long-term sustainable results.

The Litter Index is designed to measure progress over time. It helps identify what is effective and what isn't in positively changing littering attitudes and behaviors and related community improvement issues. Consistent use of the Litter Index on an annual basis can help track overall progress in reducing litter, and can quantitatively express success in community improvement.

View the Litter Index Report (PDF)