Hunt Valley, Maryland (7 August 2026)—EA has been contracted by the State of Washington, Department of Ecology (Ecology) to conduct a statewide litter and a subsequent multi-state comparison study. Due to litter’s environmental, health, and economic impact, this statewide study aims to collect litter to evaluate littering trends and identify actionable recommendations that can produce substantial change in littering behavior and reduction in litter across the state of Washington. In addition, the EA team will perform a multi-state comparison study, a first-of-its-kind study, which aims to comprehensively evaluate litter pickup and prevention programs in 25 states. This comparison will provide context for Washington’s performance, identify best practices, and inform recommendations to improve Washington’s policies and programs.
The work will involve field crews collecting litter during two sampling events in 2026 at more than 180 sites along roadways and in public places across the state. Collected samples will then be sorted, weighed, and counted. The data will be analyzed to establish current information about the distribution, types, amount, and sources of litter. Study results will be compared to previous state and national litter studies, allowing for a direct comparison and trend analysis, to better understand the impact of litter prevention campaigns and guide future efforts and investments. Study findings will support policy evaluation and development; litter tax modernization; and Washington’s evolving litter management, prevention, and product stewardship programs.
The multi-state comparison study will compare Washington’s litter management approach to 25 states through extensive desktop research and interviews with key litter prevention and pickup personnel within each state. The effort will aim to benchmark how Washington performs relative to those states, including whether Washington has more or less litter on the ground and how overall program outcomes and funding levels differ. This will be done by documenting how other states fund and operate their litter pickup and prevention systems; highlighting gaps, lessons learned, and challenges from other states; and identifying best practices, innovations, and proven strategies that could strengthen Washington’s programs.
To complete these studies, EA has assembled a highly qualified team of subconsultants, including Cascadia Consulting Group, with whom EA worked on the previous statewide litter study conducted in 2022, and has also supported litter studies in other states. The 2026 litter and multi-state comparison studies will also be supported by an advisory panel comprising experts from Keep America Beautiful, Zero Waste Washington, City of Tacoma, and Seattle Public Utilities, providing both regional and national perspectives.
“Based on our team’s collective work experience in Washington, we have a comprehensive understanding of available data and data sources within the state; local communities and their considerations regarding litter; and understanding of the deliverable quality and communications expected in collaborating with our partners and Ecology throughout the project,” said Garrett Lee, PE, EA’s Northwest Operations Manager. “We will bring consistent and attentive study design, data collection and analysis, and thoughtful consideration to this statewide litter study. Further evaluating the results in parallel with completing a foundational study surveying other state programs will sharpen the impact of improving Washington’s litter prevention and pickup programs.”
The state’s 1998 Litter Act directed Ecology to conduct a statewide litter study, which was first completed in 1999 followed by a second study in 2004. In 2022, the state conducted an expanded litter study, applying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Escaped Trash Assessment Protocol to the study’s collection and reporting methodology, and incorporating environmental justice into the study design and implementation. This 2026 litter study builds upon previous work conducted in the state, while the multi-state comparison study creates a new understanding of litter prevention and pickup programs across the country.
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