Task Force to Clean Up Louisiana’s Litter Problem Announced by Governor

January 18, 2022

On January 18, 2022, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced the formation of the Governor’s Task Force on Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification, which will work to find policy solutions to Louisiana’s litter problem, educate the public, and promote community litter abatement activities. The Task Force of 26 members, established by executive order and managed by the Keep Louisiana Beautiful program in the Lieutenant Governor’s office, will make recommendations to the Governor by July 1, 2022.

As part of the executive order, the Governor declared the fourth Saturday of each month to be a Love the Boot –  Don’t Pollute Day which will be observed across the state, with officials and neighborhood groups encouraged to hold targeted litter pick-up events in their communities.

In a press release Governor Edwards said, “Today, I am announcing a statewide effort to find solutions for Louisiana’s litter problem, which is detrimental to health, safety, wildlife, economic development and tourism. Our state is truly a beautiful place, the Sportsman’s Paradise, but too often litter sullies Louisiana’s landscape. We lose out on opportunities when our communities are full of errant garbage like cans, bottles, cigarette butts and food containers, which make their way into our storm drains, which contributes to drainage issues and can even exacerbate flash flooding, creating a serious public safety threat. Louisiana’s native species cannot thrive alongside litter and neither can our people, There are issues relating to funding, policy and workforce that we must address at a local and statewide level, which is the purpose of this new statewide task force. But we as individuals also have the power to reduce the amount of garbage that makes its way into Louisiana’s waterways, storm drains and streets. Simple things like always bagging your trash, reducing your reliance on single use plastics and picking up trash you see near your home or business or in your community will go a long way towards improving our state. When it comes to eradicating our litter problem and keeping Louisiana clean and beautiful, we all have a role to play.”