As written in Article I of the Pennsylvania Constitution: The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come.
You can help protect this "right" by working with Pennsylvania's enforcement agencies.
The Problem
Litter is everywhere, and illegal dumps are places where uncaring people throw unwanted appliances, worn tires, bags of daily trash, construction debris and every other imaginable item. Illegal dumps are found in remote or isolated places.
Littering and illegal dumping are acts of improper disposal of trash. However, there are subtle differences.
Litter is primarily small items that are scattered about - items such as paper, food containers, beverage containers, convenience products, newspapers, vehicle debris and cardboard. Littering can be an intentional act or it can be accidental. Surveys have shown that 30-65% of trash found along roadways is the result of unintentional behavior such as items blown from yards and vehicles, lost items, or debris leftover from accidents. While litter is often easy to remove, keeping an area litter free can be costly and time consuming.
Illegal dumping is always an intentional act and is done for many reasons - cost, convenience, ignorance, habit, profit, or to hide other illegal activities. Illegal dumping often involves large items or large quantities of small items - appliances, tires, bags of daily trash, furniture, and other household wastes. Studies in Pennsylvania show that there are between 30-200 illegal dumpsites per county. Illegal dumpsites are often difficult and costly to clean up, and they take a greater toll on the environment and surrounding communities.
Litter is primarily small items that are scattered about - items such as paper, food containers, beverage containers, convenience products, newspapers, vehicle debris and cardboard. Littering can be an intentional act or it can be accidental. Surveys have shown that 30-65% of trash found along roadways is the result of unintentional behavior such as items blown from yards and vehicles, lost items, or debris leftover from accidents. While litter is often easy to remove, keeping an area litter free can be costly and time consuming.
Illegal dumping is always an intentional act and is done for many reasons - cost, convenience, ignorance, habit, profit, or to hide other illegal activities. Illegal dumping often involves large items or large quantities of small items - appliances, tires, bags of daily trash, furniture, and other household wastes. Studies in Pennsylvania show that there are between 30-200 illegal dumpsites per county. Illegal dumpsites are often difficult and costly to clean up, and they take a greater toll on the environment and surrounding communities.
