Bash Trash in April with MDC and MoDOT Annual Trash Bash

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missourians from all around the state are asked to do some spring cleaning outdoors and help fight litter through the state's annual No MOre Trash! Bash throughout the month of April. The Trash Bash is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) as part of their ongoing No MOre Trash! statewide anti-litter campaign.

The annual Trash Bash encourages people to clean up litter across Missouri from roadsides, parks, neighborhoods, rivers, streams, trails, and other places. Trash Bash activities in April also include educational efforts in schools and at community events such as Earth Day celebrations.

Each year, MoDOT spends about $6 million to remove litter from more than 385,000 acres of roadsides along 34,000 state highway miles. Annual volunteer efforts to pick up litter along Missouri highways are valued at $1 million.

Last year, more than 1,200 groups involving more than 14,000 volunteers participated in the Trash Bash and collected more than 127,000 bags of litter and many truckloads of debris statewide. Additionally, 157 educational events were held to emphasize the importance of not littering. Some participated through Adopt-A-Highway and Stream Team litter cleanup events. Missouri Stream Team Program volunteers removed more than 680 TONS of litter from waterways and dedicated over $3.4 million dollars' worth of volunteer time to litter removal statewide.

"Litter is a big problem because it's unattractive, costly, and harmful to the environment," said Stacy Armstrong, MoDOT No MOre Trash! coordinator. "If more people would keep their trash and properly dispose of it, or, better yet, recycle it, we would reduce the amount of litter we need to pick up in the first place."

Littering isn't just ugly, it also hurts wildlife and Missouri outdoors. "Birds, fish, turtles and other animals get tangled in litter, such as plastic six-pack holders and fishing line, and it can kill them," said MDC No MOre Trash! Coordinator Joe Jerek. "Litter poisons fish, birds, and other wildlife. Littering can also cost a litterer up to $1,000 in fines and one year in jail."

Volunteers are needed across the state to participate in litter cleanup activities. Participants can report their cleanup efforts and will receive a No MOre Trash! thank-you pin. For more information and to learn how to participate, visit nomoretrash.org or call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).