During a recent roadside cleanup near the Sleeping Ute Rest Stop, volunteers for The Sunflower Theatre collected everything from plastic bottles and aluminum cans to shredded tires and cigarette butts—reminding us just how long everyday litter can linger.
Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to break down. Aluminum cans, though highly recyclable, may take 200 to 500 years to decompose in the environment. Rubber from tires can persist for anywhere from 50 to thousands of years and cigarette butts—despite their small size—can leach toxic chemicals into soil and water for over a decade.
Nationwide, litter cleanup costs are steep. A 2020 study from Keep America Beautiful estimates that the U.S. spends over $11.5 billion annually on litter abatement, with a significant portion tied to roadside cleanup.
Efforts like this local cleanup help protect wildlife, waterways, and scenic landscapes across the Four Corners. So next time you’re traveling through the Southwest, remember to pack it in and pack it out. A little effort goes a long way in keeping our roads and wild spaces clean.
