Litter costs state more than $40 million a year, Keep Louisiana Beautiful representative says
State and local governments pay $40 million a year to pick up and haul away litter, from cigarette butts and bottles to discarded furniture and appliances, the executive director of an environmental group told a House committee Thursday.
View full sizeLitter along U.S. 190 south of Covington was photographed in April 2009. Leigh Harris, who runs the state office of Keep Louisiana Beautiful, told the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment that the $40 million is direct costs and does not include damage to tourism, public health problems, loss of business and damage to the state's image.
Harris said the $40 million for litter clean-up could be used on other programs such as health care and education. She said her organization commissioned the study this year and hopes to update it every two years.
"We think the estimate is low," Harris said. "This only affects the direct economic costs."
"Would you say we have a serious (litter) problem?" Rep. Eddie Lambert, R-Prairieville, asked. "It will be with us for a long time," Harris answered. "It is going to take education; it is going to take time."
The panel is looking at the merits of a Lambert proposal to impose a nickel deposit on bottles as a way to battle litter. Lambert had a similar bill last year but deferred it for a more thorough study between sessions.
Lambert said he probably will bring back a similar bill when the Legislature starts its April session. He said the deposit will encourage customers to recycle, cutting down on litter.
"I wonder if 5 cents is high enough," said convenience store owner Tommy Corley of Pierre part, a backer of the concept. "Put a dime on it."
"A deposit on plastic bottles or glass could be an incentive," Lambert said. "People would have an economic incentive" not to litter and return the bottles to stores or recycling centers. He said that deposit money paid and unclaimed could be dedicated to the state or local governmental needs.
Corley said that the state needs to impose a bottle deposit now. "We don't have time to wait for the kids to grow up," he said. "We need to work on adults. We have to get it cleaned up."
Norman Ferachi, executive director of the Louisiana Beverage Association, the trade and lobbying arm of the soft drink industry, said a bottle deposit "would not address 95 percent of the litter. It is a forced deposit. ... It is a tax on consumers. It imposes an unnecessary hardship on grocery stores."
Under harsh questioning by Lambert, Ferachi backed off calling a proposed bottle deposit a tax. "But you are taking money out of he consumer's pocket," he said.
Ferachi conceded a deposit bill would have a negative effect on soft drink sales initially. He called a bottle deposit "an inconvenience" and "a real burden."
"We do not need any more laws or penalties or feel-good legislation," Ferachi argued. "Look at the laws on the books and put teeth in them."
Littering fines range from $75 to $1,000 based on the severity of what and how much is discarded, as well as at least eight hours of community service work picking up litter.
State Police Lt. Doug Cain said that troopers have written about 1,100 tickets this calendar year for littering or having unsecured objects blowing from trucks.
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Lt. Col. Jeff Mayne said his agents issued 1,011 littering tickets from July 1, 2009 to June 30. Since July 1 of this year, he said, agents have written 145 for littering and 76 for "gross littering," which is deliberate dumping of garbage, old furniture and possible pollutants on waters or roads.
"We need to have zero-tolerance" for littering, Mayne said. "It is not a petty crime. It is an important crime."
Ed Anderson can be reached at eanderson@timespicayune.com or 225.342.5810.