The Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) has launched a new anti-litter campaign.

The movement, which has been dubbed “Simple As That,” aims to prevent littering by changing some of the human behaviors that can cause it.

DOE spokesperson, Amber Smith, says the effort is in response to an ever-increasing volume of litter being found statewide.

“Our last litter study showed that every year, more than 12 million pounds of litter accumulates on or near our roadways. Even on rural Interstates, we’re still seeing almost 16,000 pieces of litter per mile.”

Smith adds the costs associated with cleaning up Washington’s roadways are also mounting.

“There are a lot of us working on addressing litter. The Department of Transportation has litter crews, there’s Department of Corrections crews, (and) DOE has both youth and adult crews. We spend more than $9 million every year and we can only pick up a fraction of what’s hitting the ground.”

“Simple As That” encourages everyone in the state keep and use a litter bag in their vehicle and wait to dispose of trash at a gas station or rest area when traveling.

The DOE also says it’s important to set a good example by living litter free and telling others to do the same.

The campaign will run through the end of September.

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