Campaign to stop litter includes sending information to people spotted littering

Officials in Louisiana have a new hotline they want you to call if you see people littering.

Leaders are hoping residents can help keep Louisiana beautiful with the “if you see something, say something” mantra going forward.

The hotline number is  855-LA-Litte(r).  That's 855-525-4883.

While tips can lead to enforcement and citations, the will also trigger sending the alleged litter bug information about littering including  a warning letter.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, “It’s important that we educate those guilty of littering and work together to keep Louisiana beautiful.”

The state has historically been among the dirtiest in the country when it comes to littering, and officials hope offenders being made aware of their offenses will put a meaningful dent in the data.

Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Captain Joey Thompson says that 79 litter related investigations have been opened since July 19th due to the hotline, and those investigations led to 31 citations being issued.

The expectation is that as awareness of the hotline grows and citations become more commonplace, it will put a dent in the behaviors that have led to the chronic litter problem.

Captain Thompson is quick to remind people that littering happens in other ways beyond tossing trash intentionally out of a window.  He points to “simple littering” which is unintentional, like having trash in the open bed of a pickup truck that then flies out onto the roadways.

This program is not based on any previous pilot program in another state, so the data that will be collected will be informative going forward.  Those looking for more information can visit the Wildlife & Fisheries website to see how the program works and what potential fines and penalties could result.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful shares ways people can help prevent litter:

– Keep your truck bed clean
– Secure your load
– Use a portable ashtray for cigarette butts
– Keep a trash bag in your vehicle for garbage