Let's 86 Roadside Litter!
Show your pride by keeping our community clean. Since July 2024, 562 residents have helped clean up roadsides in Wake County by borrowing one of our litter kits.
Free Litter Kits for Service Projects
What Is a Litter Kit?
Check out a litter kit and we will provide you with all the materials to conduct a DIY litter cleanup. We provide litter grabbers, safety vests and plastic bags for collection of garbage and recyclable materials. Reserve a litter kit at least two weeks in advance of your cleanup and choose from one of three locations in central, northern and southern Wake.
Borrowers are expected to dispose of waste at a Wake County Convenience Center. Wake County Solid Waste Management does not haul waste and cannot pick up any items collected by litter kit borrowers. We also ask borrowers to complete a brief online form stating where the litter removal occurred and how many bags of waste were collected. The completed litter surveys help us document the effectiveness of litter kits and celebrate the contributions of individuals to improving our environment.
Want to Get Involved?
Would your organization like to partner with the Wake County Solid Waste Division to reduce litter in your favorite corner of Wake County? Contact environmental educator Chelsea Arey at 86it@wake.gov to discuss your idea. We have collaborated with The Great Raleigh Cleanup, the Town of Holly Springs, NC State University, Walnut Creek Wetland Center and many other businesses and nonprofit organizations. Our support can include lending litter grabbers, donating plastic bags, recommending cleanup sites and covering landfill disposal tipping fees. We cannot provide Dumpsters or send trucks to remove litter collected by volunteers.
We also amplify the voices of businesses and organizations working to reduce waste through our podcast, "No Straw Please!" Past podcast guests include worm farmers, restaurant owners and coffee roasters. Listen to past episodes on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
An Evolving Approach to Tackling Wake County's Roadside Litter
In 2008, the Wake County Board of Commissioners adopted a goal to address the roadside litter problem in Wake County. In response, the Wake County Solid Waste Division launched the 86it Anti-Litter Campaign to engage county residents in addressing litter.
From 2010 until 2024, the 86it Campaign used a positive tone and multiple strategies to empower individuals to prevent litter. The Wake County Solid Waste Division collaborated with the Carolina Mudcats, the Carolina Hurricanes, Radio One, and several local governments to increase awareness of roadside litter. Campaign coordinators engaged residents through neighborhood competitions, appearances at festivals, and a public art display of custom trash cans.
Today the Solid Waste Division focuses on litter cleanup in three ways:
- Lending litter kits to any Wake County resident
- Paying a contractor to clean up 147 miles of freqently littered roads
- Funding litter removal on roads adjacent to Wake County Solid Waste Facilities