It’s summer season, and we know what that means: it’s time for more road trips with the top down, epic car playlists, and delicious salty snacks. Cruising behind the wheel, you’re heading north on the I-17 when you spot freeway trash cluttering up the view. From a rotting apple core, melted ice cream cone, and half eaten fast food burger — it’s clear that food waste doesn’t belong on Valley highways.  

It's no surprise if you find food litter scattered along Valley freeways. Food and other organic materials are some of the most common items thrown on freeways! That’s right — food waste accounted for 15 percent of all littered items in Maricopa County last year. Not only is trash unsightly (and attracts more litter!), but it also can have dangerous consequences for the environment. 
 

But all food scraps can just decompose naturally, right? Wrong. 
 

• Food doesn’t decompose as fast as you may think. On average, it takes a banana peel up to five years to fully decompose in the environment. You can imagine how much longer that looks like for snacks wrapped in plastic or fast food that is treated with preservatives. Yikes. 

• Organic materials left on highways can attract wildlife. Discarded orange peels, trail mix, or other food left to decompose on the side of the highway can attract animals. Food items may pose risks to wildlife if eaten, and to both animals and people if any animals get hit by cars. 

• Litter is expensive to clean up. Maricopa County taxpayers spend $5 million each year in order to properly clean up litter from highways.  

According to Outside Magazine, the average American tosses out around 230 pounds of food per year. When food gets scrapped, it can clog up landfills, which is why food waste accounts for 24 percent of solid waste.  
 

So, what can you do to help prevent food litter? 
 

• Stash a travel trash bag in your car. Whether you’re commuting to work or hitting the road with a cooler full of snacks for a weekend getaway, keep a spare bag in your vehicle to prevent unsightly litter ending up on roadways. Request a travel trash bag on our home page.

• Try composting! Did you know City of Phoenix offers containers so you can compost in your own backyard? Organic materials like tree trimmings to food scraps like apple cores are perfect for exploring composting. 

• Minimize food waste. Yes, that means eating your leftovers instead of ordering more takeout, writing out your grocery list to avoid unnecessary purchases, or planning for the week ahead by meal prepping.   

Next time you’re on the road, be sure to do the right thing and avoid tossing trash on highways. Learn more litter facts.