Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What’s GDOT’s role in the litter issue?

A. The Department’s role in the litter issue is part-and-parcel with our maintenance of Georgia’s interstate system. Our goal is provide safe and efficient roadways, and very often, litter and debris quite literally get in our way. Car trash and debris from unsecured loads and car accidents can cause serious driving, health and environmental hazards – and negatively impact tourism and business in our state. So the Department spends about $14 million each year to handle routine litter pick-ups statewide. This is an exorbitant amount of money, as well as an unthinkable allocation of staff hours and equipment.

Q. This area is such a strong tourist attraction… litter pick-up here is an investment in a strong local economy. How much litter is picked up around state highways in the Savannah area?

A. Over a ton-and-a-half was picked up by DOT and prison-labor crews in Chatham and Bryan counties in December 2001.

Q. What can the average person do to be productive in the fight against litter?

A. The vast amount of litter on our roadways is the result of someone’s deliberate action. Someone dumps his cigarette ashtray at the top of the exit ramp. Someone else forgets to properly secure the load in his pick-up truck and we find a ladder in the middle of the interstate. Another person decides to dump his empty paint cans along the side of the road. These are all illegal acts, punishable by pretty heavy fines.

The Department encourages people to get involved in litter prevention in two ways: 1) to stop littering and to change the behavior of people around you who litter, and 2) get a few friends and neighbors together to join our Adopt-A-Highway Program and commit to clean up the roadsides in your local communities. If more people statewide did these two things in earnest, the amount of litter on Georgia’s roadside would decrease significantly.