Keep Louisiana Beautiful and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor stopped by Lake Charles for the annual Leaders Against Litter regional summit on Friday.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said at the start of the summit that litter is an issue that is a “thorn in the side.”

“I believe that aesthetics matter. I think the way a community looks matters. I think the way a city looks matters,” he explained. “When people visit our community, when they are driving down I-10 and they come into the beautiful state of Louisiana, first impressions matter.”

Litter is a statewide problem, and is more than an aesthetic issue. It’s a financial one, said KLB Executive Director Susan Russell.

A 2023 litter cost study conducted by KLB found that the state spends $19.4 million on litter prevention, education, remediation and enforcement annually. For local governments and state agencies, over 80 percent of this cost is put towards remediation.

Most of the financial stress is felt locally, the study found. Municipalities take on 36.4 percent of the cost and parishes take on 30.5 percent; State agencies take on 19.5 percent.

“If we solve this problem, think about what we could do with that money. Education, roads,” Russel said. “Who’s paying for it? The local governments and the sheriffs. The burden is on your back.”

Indirectly, litter is also costly because it negatively affects health, flooding, property values, tourism and overall quality of life.

Strides have been made towards a litter-free Louisiana (and major savings), however.

It will take a mindset shift to mitigate littering in the state, said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. Luckily, 92 percent of Louisianaians believe litter is a problem, and 68 percent support more litter enforcement.

KLB’s “Love the Boot” week – an annual litter removal and beautification initiative – has been a statewide success. This year, nearly 20,000 individuals participated in 706 events throughout Louisiana, resulting in the removal in 347 tons of litter. This success can be attributed to a 52 percent increase in volunteers.

This attitude is apparent in Southwest Louisiana. Last year, the region hosted 69 events. (A feat that caused him to audibly say “wow.”)

Studies show that the best way to stop people from littering is to give them a ticket or expose them to the problem, Nungesser said.

“If you get a ticket for litter, or you pick up litter for a day, you’re about 80 percent less likely to litter,” he explained. “Less than 20 percent of the population actually litters, so, we can enforce and we can get those people out there picking up litter.”

One of the most effective ways to halt litter habits in their tracks is education.

“We have to break the cycle of neglect,” said Russel. “We know the education part is more of a longer-term strategy, but it is probably one of the most important things we can do.”

Education efforts are for young students and older motorists alike.

For the youth, KYB has created 10 free lesson plans that align with K-5 student standards. These lesson plans have been sent to every school and can be ordered online for libraries, church groups, summer programs and any non-formal education organization.

To reach motorists, they have partnered with the Louisiana Automotive Dealership Association to provide litter prevention kits for drivers when they purchase their new vehicles. Currently, 40 dealerships statewide are participating.

Litter prevention questions have also been integrated into the driving test.

Further efforts have been focused on installing cameras is “hotspot” litter locations to better enforce litter law; placing trash receptacles in safe locations on roadways; and seeking legislative actions to procure dollars for the litter abatement fund.

LYB has also awarded $670,000 in grants for local communities to take action in there area. $288,000 has been granted in the region.

“I believe we’re going to see a day when we don’t have to spend $92 million on cleaning up Louisiana after the fact,” Nungesser said.

To report littering, call 855-LA-LITTER.