A Consumers guide to reducing pollution:

A surprising amount of pollution starts at home. The car you drive, the household and personal care products you buy, the chemicals and equipment you use to keep your lawn and garden in shape all contribute to water and air pollution. But there are consumer choices you can make that will reduce your environmental footprint.

https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/pollution-reduction/

In November 2023, the Loudoun County landfill began accepting food waste at the Food Waste Composting Drop-Off Center on Evergreen Mill rd. in Leesburg. This is a one-year pilot program intended for residents who are interested in composting their household food scraps such as fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products, pasta, eggshells and coffee grounds. Quantities accepted are limited to one 5-gallon container or an equivalent amount, per customer, per week.

Being a Responsible Consumer – Small Changes with a Big Impact

What can you do in our community?

Supporting a Circular Economy

• In a circular economy, economic activity builds and rebuilds overall system health.

• The concept recognizes the importance of the economy needing to work effectively at all scales – for large and small businesses, for organizations and individuals, globally and locally.
• Transitioning to a circular economy does not only amount to adjustments aimed at reducing the negative impacts of the linear economy. Rather, it represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits.

Recycling:

In addition to traditional residential and commercial recycling programs, Loudoun residents may bring their materials to one of ten County Recycling Centers:

• Arcola Community Center
• Central Western Loudoun (Hamilton)
• Hillsboro Elementary School
• Leesburg Walmart
• Loudoun County Landfill
• Lovettsville
• Lucketts Elementary School
• Mickie Gordan Memorial Park
• Philmont Fire Department
• Sterling Park

Click the link to learn what can be recycled in Loudoun: Loudoun County Recycling: A-to-Z

Learn about litter and pollution:

Any trash, from glass jars to plastic soda bottles to candy wrappers, can become litter if it isn’t thrown away properly in a garbage can or a recycle bin. Not only is litter ugly to see on the ground or in waterways, but this type of pollution hurts people and the planet in multiple ways. Litter costs money to clean up, it can hurt humans and wildlife, and it also harms the environment as the chemicals in plastic break down and enter the soil or the water. But everyone can make a difference to keep the planet cleaner by picking up litter and disposing of it the right way.

Litter and Pollution Facts

Litter along roads is a big problem: Experts estimate that people driving or riding in cars and trucks made more than half of the litter we see on roads. Cigarette butts are the main type of litter found along roads. Another litter problem happens when people have containers full of things in the back of a truck or car and they fall out onto the road. But most times, when people litter, they do it on purpose, not by accident. If people can easily find a trash can to throw away their garbage, they are more likely to use the trash can instead of littering. Experts have also found that people under the age of 30 are more likely to litter than older people.

Pollution Harm

Litter makes the places where people live look and feel ugly and gross. Litter also reduces the value of people’s houses, since nobody wants to live in a trash-covered neighborhood. Tourists may be less likely to visit places if they are polluted with litter. Humans and animals can get sick from the effects of pollution, and the environment can get filled with debris and harmful chemicals. Litter also costs towns and businesses money to clean up.

How to Help

Keeping areas free of litter and pollution is an important way to keep people from littering: When people see trash all over the ground, that makes them feel like it’s OK to litter, but if an area is clean, people won’t usually want to mess it up by littering. It might also help to put up signs asking people to throw away their trash properly instead of littering. And it’s important that towns and cities offer trash cans and recycle bins where people can get rid of glass and plastic containers without littering.