More than 100 youths tackle Eastern Washington litter again

SPOKANE—Youth crews in Eastern Washington are getting ready to hit the road June 21 to begin cleaning up the region's littered highways and park areas.

Each summer, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) hires young people, aged 14 to 17, to pick up litter along the roadsides in the summer. The youths earn $7.25 per hour for their work.

The first session this summer runs from June 21 through July 19 and includes crews in Clarkston, Colville, Ephrata, Inchelium, Moses Lake, Othello, Pasco, Ritzville and Spokane.

The second session runs from July 20 to Aug. 16 in Chewelah, Ephrata, Moses Lake, Othello, Pasco, Ritzville and Spokane.

The plan this summer is to clean I-90 west of Spokane to Vantage and major portions of state highways in Adams, Grant, Ferry, Franklin, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties.

"Judging from the amount of litter picked up in 2003, a lot of people still don't get it," said Gary Lambacher, who manages the Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) program out of Spokane.

In 2003, crews statewide picked up nine million pounds, which is two million pounds more litter than in previous years. That's equal to 1,500 Chevy Tahoes, 50 NASA space shuttles or 41 blue whales.

Lambacher said motorists should use extra caution when they see the orange "Ecology youth working" signs along state highways.

"In all, we'll have 105 kids out on the roads at various times this summer. Their safety is priority one for us," Lambacher said.

Ecology is campaigning to educate travelers about the state's litter laws. Stiff fines are in place for littering in Washington, such as $1,025 for a lit cigarette and $194 for failing to secure a truck load.

People throw out much more than bottles and cans, Lambacher said. They throw out construction debris, plastic bags, toys, sporting goods, bits of furniture and human waste.

"The most frequently littered item would have to be cigarette butts," said Megan Warfield who manages Ecology's anti-litter program. "Our 1999 research estimated that 260 million cigarette butts are littered every year, many of them posing a fire hazard."

Ecology is again conducting a "litter survey" to assess what people are throwing away. That information helps the department tailor education campaigns to those who are causing most of the problem. Results from that survey will be available in 2005.