The city has released the results from this year’s Capital City Cleanup, and while the report shows that less litter is being tossed onto city streets, there’s one area that’s still a cause for concern.
Two litter audits were conducted this past summer as part of the Capital City Cleanup, and the results show that the Yellowhead Trail between 170th street and the Beverly Bridge is one of the Edmonton’s dirtiest areas, litter in the region is up approximately 50 per-cent since 2012. Traffic and an increased amount of construction in Edmonton are both contributing factors to the amount of trash tossed onto the side of the thoroughfare.
“Most of the litter items measured during the survey were construction debris, miscellaneous paper, plastic, stuff flying from moving vehicles, or people littering because they just don’t want to use the appropriate garbage receptacles,” says Joana Spiridonica, the acting manager of Capital City Cleanup.
Officials have put together a committee to develop a new strategy to reduce waste on the Yellowhead.
$650 thousand has been spent on the Capital City Cleanup and other graffiti reduction programs, and officials say it’s working. Litter is down 40 per-cent in Edmonton since 2009.
With files from Ashley Molnar
