What are the Effects of Litter?
The biggest problem with litter is the environmental impact. Litter on the streets gets washed into storm drains, which are not connected to the sewers, and is taken to a body of water where it pollutes the water. In Fair Lawn, these bodies of water include the Passaic and Saddle Rivers, the pond behind Lyncrest School and a variety of small creeks that run through town. Another less documented problem with litter is the social impact it has on a community. Areas that have large amounts of litter are viewed as less desirable by people buying homes and becomes a magnet for criminals and undesirables as litter signifies that the community does not care about or pay attention to that area. In the early 90s, Newark New Jersey did a study on litter. They took a 9 block area and cleaned it every day by sweeping the street, removing graffiti and picking up the litter. The result was a dramatic drop in crime in that area during the course of the study. Once the study was concluded and the area
