Case Study on Litter Management for Drainage …fergusonfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/DC-case-study...Case Study on Litter Management for Drainage Systems in Washington,

Case Study on Litter Management for Drainage Systems in

Washington, DC, U.S.A.

Prepared by the Alice Ferguson Foundation, with guidance from the District of Columbia Department of Environment

March 10, 2012

For

World Bank Water Partnership Program

Alice Ferguson Foundation: Washington, DC Case Study 3/10/12 Final

City Setting, Drainage, and Impact of Litter Washington, DC and the Potomac River Watershed

Every time it rains, stormwater washes trash and debris from the Potomac River watershed and it’s tributaries into the Chesapeake Bay, and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to being an eye-sore and potential health threat to humans, trash pollution is particularly harmful to marine life and degrades habitat restoration efforts throughout the Chesapeake Bay. The Washington, DC portion of the Potomac River and its two tributaries, the Anacostia River and Rock Creek, accumulate an unknown tonnage of carelessly tossed and highly visible trash, often attributed to the U.S. capital’s 602,000 residents and 16 million visitors. However, the District’s trash problem starts far beyond city boundaries1.

The Potomac River watershed (Figure 1) meanders through 37,995 square kilometers of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC (the District). Only 178 square kilometers of the Potomac River watershed are located in Washington, DC, less than .50% of the watershed. The full Potomac River watershed drains five geologic provinces into 12 major tributaries in which 57.6% of the land area is forested; 31.8% is agricultural; 4.8% is developed land, and water and wetlands cover 5% of the area. According to 2010 Census data, 6.11 million people live in the watershed, a 5% increase since 2005. Fifteen major cities are located throughout the watershed, with the majority of residents (5.36 million) living in the District Metropolitan Area. Average flow of the Potomac River through the District is about 26.5 billion litres per day, although the volume fluctuates dramatically based on weather. Approximately 1.8 trillion litres of water is withdrawn daily for water supply. Almost 86% of the watershed’s population receives drinking water from public water supplies and 83% of the wastewater is treated in municipal wastewater treatment systems.

Stormwater in the District is managed in two ways. Many older parts of the city have a combined sewer system that conveys sanitary sewage and stormwater. Combined sewer pipes are

connected to wastewater treatment facilities, but they are not large enough to handle all of the runoff from heavy rainfall events. Combined sewers are constructed with overflow points that relieve the pipes of surplus flow during big storm events – sending stormwater runoff, sewage, and trash directly into the streets and waterways. Newer areas of the District are fitted with separate sanitary and municipal separate storm sewer system pipes. The separate sanitary sewers collect sewage and transport it to the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant. The separate storm sewer system pipes collect runoff from inlets along the streets and discharge the stormwater directly into streams. These

discharges are not filtered prior to release into waterways, which has led to high loads of pollutants, including trash, into local waters.

1Interstate Commission of the Potomac River Basin. http://www.potomacriver.org/

Figure 1 Map of Potomac Watershed


The Anacostia River watershed’s separate storm sewer system drains 3,828 hectares with 167 outfalls going directly into waterways.2 More than half of that area(56%) is impervious surface, which prevents rainwater from filtering into the soil; this means large volumes of stormwater rapidly flow to the storm sewers, carrying litter and other debris to the Anacostia River. The degraded condition of the river and proximity to the United States’ National Capital has attracted significant attention and funding from U.S. federal agencies, state and city governments, environmental organizations, and citizens. Impact of Litter and the Regulatory Structure

The District of Columbia Department of Environment works with neighboring Maryland jurisdictions that share the Anacostia River watershed and the Maryland Department of Environment to assess conditions of the Potomac River waterways. In 2008, it was determined that the river didn’t meet water quality standards for floatable debris and pursuant to Section 303(d) of the U.S. Federal Clean Water Act, the Anacostia River was listed as “impaired for trash.”

The U.S. Federal Clean Water Act requires a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for pollutants be developed for any body of water listed as impaired and describes how much of each pollutant must be removed from the watershed. The Anacostia River Trash TMDL was approved in 2010 and states that 572 metric tons of trash must be removed annually from the entire Anacostia watershed, with 110 metric tons from the District portion.3 This TMDL has been a motivator for developing innovative solutions for litter management.

All separate storm sewer system and combined sewer system discharges are regulated by the Clean Water Act through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program. These permits reduce the point source pollution portion of TMDLs, with requirements for limits of pollutants. The NPDES permits for both the separate storm sewer system and the combined sewer system serve as the enforcement mechanism for the trash TMDL.

The impaired listing and subsequent TMDL have served as a catalyst for the implementation of interventions in Washington, DC and s local jurisdictions in Maryland. The Anacostia River watershed is being used as a testing ground for trash reduction strategies and is becoming a model for jurisdictions throughout the United States for addressing trash in urban watersheds. Interventions and Results/Benefits of Intervention Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative: A Watershed Approach

After years of cleaning up trash along its own shoreline along the Potomac River, the Alice Ferguson Foundation launched the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative with the goal of achieving a trash-free watershed. The District and Maryland jurisdictions along the Anacostia were early partners in this effort. The Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative provides leadership, structure, and motivation for action throughout the Potomac River watershed. This framework is a multi-faceted, watershed-wide approach involving regulation, policy, enforcement, public education, and market-based solutions to the trash problem. Strong partnerships with local jurisdictions, including the District, are essential to the comprehensive strategy championed by the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative.

2District Department of Environment.Anacostia River Trash Reduction Plan.2008. http://green.dc.gov/publication/anacostia-river-trash-reduction-plan 3Total Maximum Daily Loads of Trash for the Anacostia River Watershed, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Maryland and the District of Columbia. 2010. http://ddoe.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddoe/publication/attachments/Final_Anacostia_Trash_TMDL.pdf


The Alice Ferguson Foundation’s philosophy is that trash is an enormous, but solvable, problem in the Potomac River watershed. However, in order to solve this problem, everyone in the watershed needs to take a proactive stewardship role in the health of the watershed by raising public awareness of the existing trash problem, changing behavior in regards to trash, and promoting long-term solutions. To help achieve these goals, a Trash Treaty, which commits officials to address the trash problem, has secured nearly 200 signatories from all levels of government and an annual Trash Summit is held to gauge progress toward achieving these goals.

The District Department of Environment funded a study by the nonprofit Anacostia Watershed Society that resulted in the Anacostia River Trash Reduction Plan, published in 2008. This report details the best management practices (BMPs) that will be needed throughout the watershed to reduce trash. Recommended BMPs include public education, source reduction policies, street sweeping, litter enforcement, and structural controls. The District, local jurisdictions in Maryland, the state of Maryland, and partners of the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative currently are implementing many of these trash reduction strategies in the Anacostia River watershed.

District of Columbia Partners for the Anacostia Watershed

Jurisdictions Agencies and Public Utility Nonprofit Organizations

District of Columbia State of Maryland Prince George’s County Montgomery County

Dept. of Environment DC Water and Sewer Authority Dept. of Transportation Dept. of Public Works Dept. of General Services DC Public Schools Metro. Police Dept. US Army Corps of Engineers

Alice Ferguson Foundation Anacostia Watershed Society Groundwork Anacostia DC Metro. Wash. Council of Govts. Earth Conservation Corps DC Surfrider

Planning Controls

Planning controls are aimed at adopting land-use or development policies that reduce the likelihood of litter-generating activities affecting drainage systems. At this point in time, The District is not implementing any planning controls. Source Control Interventions

Source controls reduce trash loads at the source before they enter a drainage system or directly enter a body of water. They frequently are not as effective at removing large amounts of trash quickly, but overtime they can lead to behavior change and source reductions. The District recently began a citywide effort to develop a long-term strategic plan for sustainability which focuses on nature, built environment, climate, green economy, water, food, energy, transportation, and waste. Many of the waste goals being developed are source control interventions that will ultimately reduce waste, increase recycling, and reduce litter in the entire city. Education: Regional Litter Prevention Campaign

Behavior change is essential to permanently reducing litter, but HOW to change widespread littering behavior among various demographics is challenging. With funding from the District Department of Environment and other regional partners, the Alice Ferguson Foundation and consultants conducted social marketing research on citizens’ attitudes towards littering in the


Potomac River watershed. Focus groups, one-on-one interviews with admitted litterers, a District-wide public opinion poll, and interviews with 50 businesses examined attitudes towards littering. The one-on-one interviews included psychological analysis of admitted litterers.

Results of this research revealed that changing littering behavior is limited by several deep-rooted barriers. For most litterers, littering is an impulsive behavior and defenses for this behavior run high, including:

Repression -- “I don’t think I litter.” Denial -- “It’s not litter, it’s just a gum wrapper.” Rationalization -- “There isn’t a convenient trash can.” Externalization -- “People [e.g. government employees] are paid to clean up litter!”

Focus group participants stated that they were less concerned about the water and more

concerned about their immediate home, family, and space. This information was used to create an overarching campaign message and brand. A regional campaign was developed based on the key message: “Your litter hits close to home. Take control. Take care of your trash.” The message was designed to raise anxiety about littering and offer a higher level reward for proper disposal of trash.

Focus groups and one-on-one interviews also showed that when trash was connected to health it was more impactful, and a secondary message was created to incorporate this finding: “Piece by piece litter adds up and makes the places we go to every day unsafe and unhealthy.” Research showed that realistic images, particularly those with children, were more impactful than abstract or exaggerated images. The images produced with this message include children playing in a sandbox, playground, and soccer field; as well as hiking in the woods with typically littered items (Figure 2).

Litter Prevention Toolkits were developed for use by communities, agencies, schools, businesses, and other organizations. The Toolkit includes billboards, posters, radio public service announcements, decals, and school flyers. Media tips, talking points, template letters, social media tools, newsletter samples, and communication plans also are included. The District Department of Environment has collaborated with other District agencies, including the Department of Transportation, Department of Public Schools, Department of Public Works, and Department of General Services, to begin implementation of the campaign through bus shelters, posters and stickers in schools, and local outreach. The campaign’s success in the District depends on partners working collaboratively to implement the campaign watershed-wide.

To evaluate the impact of the litter prevention campaign, the Alice Ferguson Foundation is piloting grassroots outreach strategies as part of the Trash Free Communities program in several communities in the District and Maryland. The Alice Ferguson Foundation has expanded education and outreach to specific audiences by creating Guidebooks, tips, and evaluation tools for schools and businesses. The Trash Free Schools program is being piloted in 9 schools in the District and 4 in Maryland. Trash Free Schools integrate solid waste reduction and litter prevention messages into school curriculum, and conduct at least one schoolyard cleanup during the school year. Projects began in 2011; therefore, evaluation will not be available until 2013.

Figure 2 Example of the litter prevention campaign visual


The Trash Free Potomac Facilities program encourages businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to reduce their solid waste production and disposal by examining their current practices and engaging staff and customers in strategies to reduce solid waste. Nineteen businesses, including the Pentagon, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Whole Foods Markets, and the District Department of Environment, have signed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Headquarters is one of the largest federal buildings in the city, with nearly 7,000 employees. They now boast a 45% recycling rate and compost 5% of their food waste.

The Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative uses a multi-tiered evaluation approach that examines short-term (1-year) outcomes that include increased public awareness and institutional behavior changes within schools and organizations that use the regional litter prevention campaign Toolkit and Trash Free Schools/Trash Free Potomac Facilities programming. Long-term behavior changes (2-5 years) are expected to show a reduction in littering through annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup and other monitoring data. Data regarding the extent and location of trash in the watershed creates baselines and monitors jurisdictional compliance with stormwater permits and the TMDL requirements. Evaluation includes:

Pre and post-public opinion surveys of a random sampling of residents are conducted in Trash

Free Communities to gauge changes in awareness of litter and campaign messages, and behavior. Visible Trash Surveys and Photo Monitoring of hotspots are conducted. The Trash Survey counts

every piece of trash along an established route. Photo Monitoring documents trash hotspots. Cleanup data gathered by Site Leaders during the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup includes:

pounds of trash and recycling; counts of specific items such as tires, cigarette butts, water bottles, and common brand products; number of volunteers; number of sites; and number of partners. 2010 and 2011 showed a significant decrease in tons of trash removed (down 9%).

Trash Free Potomac Facilities report solid waste reductions and cost savings on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise website. Additional reporting on actions taken, engagement of employees, or innovative projects is captured through annual reporting.

Trash Free Schools describe actions taken towards becoming trash free on a Report Card. The Report Card is scored to measure progress towards waste reductions.

Legislation

In 2009, the District Council passed the Anacostia Restoration and Protection Act. This new law requires that all commercial businesses in the District charge a $0.05 fee for each disposable paper and plastic carryout bag provided to a customer. This “Bag Fee” law also mandates the labeling requirements of disposable carryout bags, and authorized the retail establishment to retain a portion of the fee charged for each bag. The District Department of Environment has a full-time inspector on staff to ensure that businesses are collecting the fees. As of September 2011, $3.4 million has been raised. Money collected is deposited in a fund to be used for restoration work in watersheds throughout the District. To date, revenue from the fee has been used for installation of Bandalong litter traps, environmental education, litter prevention campaign and other restoration activities. Litter opinion surveys conducted in 2010 included questions about the bag fee to determine public reaction. Results showed:

75% of District residents surveyed said they use fewer disposable bags due to the bag fee. A majority of businesses said consumption of bags is at least 50% lower due to the fee.


78% of businesses had neutral or positive responses to how the bag fee was impacting their businesses; 58% of businesses surveyed reported no effect; 20% reported a positive effect. Only 12% of businesses reported a negative impact.

When asked specifically what positives they see from the law, businesses mentioned a reduction in litter and a benefit to the bottom line as they were spending less on bags.

When asked what negatives they see from the law, businesses mentioned that some customers complain, and some are skeptical about how the government uses the money.

When asked what the District can do to better help the business community implement the law, the greatest response by businesses was for the city government to do a better job of explaining the fee to customers and how the government is using the fee.

In April 2010 and 2011, volunteers participating in the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Potomac

River Watershed Cleanup collected fewer plastic bags than in 2009, before the bag fee was implemented. This indicates that not only are fewer bags being used, but fewer are being littered. Litter Enforcement

Enforcement of existing laws and regulations continues to be a necessary part of the solution. In the District it is illegal to dump large items on public property or vacant lots, and penalties can range from $75 - $8,000 and/or community service. These codes can be enforced by Department of Public Works, Metropolitan Police Department, and Department of Health. In 2011, the District Metropolitan Police Department’s 4th District began a pilot of legislation that removed the burden of proof for police officers to cite littering offenders from a moving vehicle and on the street. Between April 2011-Janaury 2012, 14 tickets had been issued.

The Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative trains local police officers from the watershed in the importance of litter and illegal dumping enforcement. Trainings highlight the health impacts, potential for reduced crime in a clean neighborhood, and the specifics of litter and dumping codes. 250 officers from 13 jurisdictions have been trained over 3 years. Officers have found these trainings to be an informative reminder to enforce litter and dumping laws. Street Sweeping

The 2008 Anacostia River Trash Reduction Plan identified several streets in the Anacostia watershed as trash “hotspots.” The District’s Department of Environment and Department of Public Works studied the effectiveness of street sweeping activities and reworked the sweeping schedule through reorganization of routes. The new sweeping plan, implemented in spring 2011, focuses on reducing the number of routes while increasing annual mileage of regularly scheduled swept streets. Big Belly Solar Compactor

Admitted litterers frequently name insufficient waste containers on streets as a reason to litter. It can very costly to maintain a wide distribution of waste bins. Additionally, if they are not maintained and start to overflow, they can be sources of litter. The District Department of Environment is exploring the use of solar powered trash compactors, following the example of others in the city. The District Department of Transportation, several local groups which support local parks, and local universities have paid for the installation of Big Belly™ solar compactors. The periodic compaction and wireless monitoring software of these public trash containers saves time and fuel for waste collection, allowing for more waste bins to be available in order to decrease litter. The Big Belly containers can also decrease the frequency of overflowing trash cans which contribute to litter.


Downstream Controls Removal interventions include measures to trap and/or remove trash already present, including

in-stream capture, trash cleanups, and street sweeping. These actions, remove the trash from the water and the watershed, but require repeated, long-term commitments of time and funding. In-stream Capture Systems

Nash Run Trash Trap. Starting in 2008, the District funded the nonprofit Anacostia Watershed Society to construct and maintain a custom-designed trash trap in Nash Run (Figure 3), a small tributary in of the northern Anacostia watershed. This trash trap was designed to mimic Japanese fishing traps and was built with metal rods and posts. The intent was an inexpensive trap effective at capturing trash throughout the water column. Anacostia Watershed Society estimates that over 1.8 metric tons of trash has been collected by the trap since installation.

Bandalongs. The first Bandalong Litter Trap was installed in the District at the mouth of Watts Branch, a tributary of the Anacostia River (Figure 4). The Bandalong Litter Trap, constructed and installed by Stormwater Systems of Cleveland, GA, sits in-stream and captures litter as it flows downstream. They remain in place year-round and must be

cleaned manually. Earth Conservation Corps, a local non-profit, installed this Bandalong with a grant from District Department of the Environment in 2009. From 2009-2010, Earth Conservation Corps monitored and maintained the device and collected data on trash and organic debris. Between 2009 and 2010, approximately 2.7 metric tons of trash and debris was collected from the trap. Starting in winter 2011, the nonprofit Groundwork Anacostia River DC, began maintaining the Watts Branch Bandalong Litter Trap. In 2011 alone, over 3.6 metric tons of trash (not including organic debris) was collected from the device.

Two more Bandalongs were installed through a District Department of the Environment grant to the

nonprofit Anacostia Riverkeeper in 2011. Anacostia Riverkeeper provided a subgrant to Groundwork Anacostia River DC to conduct maintenance of both devices. The first trap was installed at the Prince George’s County/Washington, DC line in Watts Branch. The second trap was installed at a separate storm sewer system outfall next to the James Creek marina in southwest DC. This trap will be collecting trash from a drainage area with one of the highest ratios of trash/hectare in the District’s portion of the Anacostia.

Hickey Run Custom – Designed Stormwater BMP. In 2011, District Department of Environment and District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority installed a large custom-designed stormwater BMP at a separate storm sewer system outfall on Hickey Run, a large tributary to the District’s portion of the Anacostia watershed. It was designed to capture over 6.4 metric tons of trash a year. Other

Figure 3 Nash Run Trash Trap designed to replicate Japanese fishing traps.

Figure 4 Bandalong Litter Trap on Watt's Branch


pollutants captured include oil, grease, sediment and organic debris. District Department of Environment contracted with a private firm to maintain the device. Catch Basins

DC Water and Sewer Authority cleans 27,500 catch basins per year, in both the separate storm sewer system and combined sewer system areas of the city. During 2008-2010, an average of 3,629 metric tons of bottles, cans, plastics, bags, rocks, brick, and sediments were removed each year. The District Department of Transportation installs water quality catch basins as part of all new roadway construction projects. Water quality catch basins are different from standard catch basins because of the 3-chambered design which captures oil, grease, sediment, and floatables from road runoff. Skimmer Boats

DC Water and Sewer Authority manages skimmer boats which collect floatable debris on 24.8 kilometers miles of waterways in the city, including the Anacostia River, Potomac River, and Washington Canal. Skimmer boats remove an average of 435 metric tons of bottles, cans, plastics, floatable logs and debris. In addition, crews must tow large trees and tree limbs to a site where it is then handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Vacuum Screening of Pump Stations DC Water and Sewer Authority maintains stormwater and combined sewer swirls and pumping stations which help to transport wastewater and stormwater to the treatment facility. The stormwater pumping stations also help to prevent flooding in low laying areas. In order to remove trash that entered the stormwater via storm sewers, DC Water and Sewer Authority has a screening process and then uses a vacuum process for removal of the accumulated trash and debris. In 2011, 228 metric tons of trash and debris were removed. Volunteer cleanups

The Alice Ferguson Foundation and other nonprofit organizations around the region conduct volunteer cleanups throughout the year. In 2011, the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup engaged more than 11,000 volunteers at 613 cleanup sites, removing 207 metric tons of trash from the Potomac River watershed. 4,300 volunteers at 34 sites removed 52 metric tons of litter and bulk trash from the District portions of the Potomac River watershed during the Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup in 2011. Other volunteer cleanups occur throughout the year, including: the Ocean Conservancy, Anacostia Watershed Society, Rock Creek Conservancy, DC Surfrider Foundation, and many others.

Volunteer cleanups engage citizens in outdoor stewardship that helps generate support for other environmental activities and conservation of public open space. More than 100,000 volunteers have participated in Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Potomac River Watershed Cleanup in the past 23 years (Figure 5). Many of these volunteers have expressed an interest in doing more. Trash cleanups show short-term tangible results that energize and unite community groups to conduct other activities, such as restore wetlands, plant trees, or conduct park maintenance.

Figure 5 Volunteer at the 2010 Potomac River Watershed Cleanup


Costs of Trash Interventions in Washington, DC

Intervention Start-up Costs Maintenance Cost Trash Removed Notes Litter Prevention Campaign

$238,000 $24,800 for 126 schools

Bag Fee Enforcement and Re-useable Bag Distribution

60% fewer plastic bags removed during cleanups

$3.4 Million revenue raised in 2010-11

Skimmer Boats $500,000 - $750,000/boat

$450,000/yr 435 metric tons/yr

Street Sweeping New plan-$250,000

$450,000/yr

Big Belly Solar Compactor

$3,900/unit Philadelphia, PA –estimate $13 million savings over 10 yrs

Trash Trap – Nash Run

$111,000 1.8 metric tons from 2008-2011

Bandalongs $50,000 - $116,000

$44,000 - $88,200/yr/ device

0.9-3.6 metric tons/yr/ device

Custom In-Stream Capture

$2 Million $90,000 Estimated 6.4 metric tons/yr

Catch Basins Budgets $60,000/yr for components

$345,000 (separate storm sewer system area of the city)

3,629 metric tons

Vacuum Screening Several thousand dollars/yr

228 metric tons/yr

Cleanups- Data for DC

$28,000 coordination; $232,200 in-kind volunteer time, $18/hour

Potomac River Cleanup – 52 metric tons in 2011

Challenges and Lessons Learned Challenges

The primary challenge to eliminating trash in the District is the need for a watershed-wide approach that requires collaboration among a variety of agencies within the District; and neighboring jurisdictions, including the state of Maryland, two counties, and several local city governments. Within the District, many agencies are involved with source reduction and litter removal. With collaboration, it is possible to ensure effective data collection and reporting, consistency with anti-littering messages, and shared resources.

It is also necessary to work with the neighboring jurisdictions, in particular, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland. This is essential not only because water and its pollutants flow downstream and through the District, but because many people in these communities live in Maryland and work in the District. Watershed-wide collaboration offers the opportunity to share resources, successes, and challenges.


Lessons Learned City agencies and the DC Water and Sewer Authority currently expend significant funds to

implement street sweeping and skimmer boat routes, which require expensive equipment and incur staffing costs. Installation and maintenance of trash cans, catch basins, and in-stream capture systems are also very expensive. Volunteer cleanups engage citizens, but require regular and persistent event planning and implementation to remove trash from the watershed.

In the long term, none of those strategies are sustainable solutions to prevent trash accumulation. Ultimately, we must change human behavior and stop trash at its source. The Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative, coordinated by the Alice Ferguson Foundation, works with the District and over 400 partners to implement a watershed-wide, multi-jurisdiction, comprehensive approach to stopping trash at its source. Components and their lessons learned include: Regulation. The 303(d) listing of the Anacostia River as “impaired for trash” per the Federal

Clean Water Act triggered Anacostia River partners to develop a trash TMDL and include trash language into separate storm sewer system permit renewals. Such regulatory actions provide enforceable targets that are the driving force behind all other trash-reduction activities.

Public Education. The Trash Free Deanwood project, located in the District was initiated in 2010 as a pilot for the regional litter prevention campaign and a precursor to the Trash Free Communities program. Alice Ferguson Foundation is developing relationships with existing community institutions and meeting people where they would normally engage with their community. Working with schools is an ideal opportunity, and long-term cultivation with individual schools and principals continues.

Legislation. Success with the District’s bag fee has encouraged the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Maryland partners and the newly formed Trash Free Maryland Alliance to support a Maryland bag fee bill. Montgomery County, Maryland bag fee passed in 2011. In 2012, new efforts are underway in Prince George’s County, Maryland and the state of Maryland. There are additional long term goals for legislation that will result in source reduction. Examples include beverage container deposits and food service polystyrene bans.

Enforcement. Enforcement can be a challenge as it does require that the litterer be caught in the act. The Alice Ferguson Foundation has trained law enforcement officers in litter and illegal dumping. This professional development for law enforcement has been a valuable piece of raising awareness and elevating this issue as a priority.

Market-Based Approaches. The Alice Ferguson Foundation’s Trash Free Potomac Facilities program proves that organizations can reduce solid waste disposal and associated costs by implementing an array of source-reduction strategies. Despite cost savings, it can be challenging to implement the institutional and behavior changes necessary to be successful. In the District, U.S. federal agencies are leading the way with waste reduction due to an Executive Order from the President.

Our experiences lead us to conclude that a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach, as outlined above, is the best way to achieve long-term and sustainable solutions to the pervasive problem of trash and to mitigate its impacts in our waterways. Each of the five components of the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative is critical and supportive of the others. Pursuing just one or two of these components is useful, but will not achieve the overarching goal as effectively as when combined and interwoven into inclusive strategy that engages key government and private sector partners.

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Case Study on Litter Management for Drainage …fergusonfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/DC-case-study...Case Study on Litter Management for Drainage Systems in Washington,