Highway Litter Hotline -to report litter thrown from vehicles

Litter CLEARinghouse Hotline -to report community litter problems

Motivated by the overwhelming response from citizens to Pennsylvania's Highway Litter Hotline, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection expanded it into a pro-active *CLEARinghouse Hotline in addition to the Highway Litter Hotline. Operating from March 1997 to December of 1999 the Highway Litter Hotline recorded the license plate numbers of 25,000 Litterbugs and notified them that someone driving their vehicles had been observed littering. At the close of its third year of operation, the Litter Hotline had close to 400 steady callers who regularly reported Litterbugs and other litter problems. "We are expanding the opportunity for social responsibility by providing citizens with a means of not only expressing their frustrations but of triggering action to improve the quality of the environment and the quality of life," DEP Secretary James M. Seif said.

There are currently two parts to the litterbug hotline; the Litter CLEARinghouse Hotline and the Highway Litter Hotline. The hotlines share the 1-888-litterbug phone number. The Hotlines are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as part of its statewide anti-litter program.

Purpose:

Callers also need to provide their name, address and telephone number. This information is kept confidential and is only used for verification purposes. After the incident is reported to the Litterbug Hotline, the license plate numbers are provided to PennDot, who then sends the drivers a letter explaining the inherent problems associated with littering.

The purpose of the Litter CLEARinghouse Hotline is to help callers with:

· Community Litter Problems
· Political signs and other advertising on utility poles and trees
· Abandoned vehicles
· Inadequate litter cleanup in commercial areas
· Litter at public events
· Uncovered trucks
· Community litter cleanups
· Nominations for "A Clean Community Award"

When you report a problem, the Hotline Staff will:

· Give you information on how to deal with the litter problem you are reporting
· Notify municipalities and agencies if necessary
· Notify sources of litter (trucks with no tarps, windshield and street handbills) if needed
· Follow up your call to find out if the problem was resolved

The Hotline will need you to:

· Follow through on the suggestions provided by the Hotline Staff
· Report your progress to the Hotline Staff

*CLEAR (Community Litter Education Action Resource)