Columbia, SC – Numbers released today by PalmettoPride showed a 41% decrease in litter over seven years.  PalmettoPride looks at these results as a confirmation of its effectiveness and looks forward to enhancing its eradication programs to further reduce litter and promote beautification in South Carolina.

“Litter has decreased in South Carolina, but we still have a long way to go,” said Senator David L. Thomas, Chairman of PalmettoPride. “Our programs are working.  Our Keep America Beautiful network is growing and receiving national awards. The number of volunteers participating in our cleanups increase every year. Last year, over 31,000 volunteers participated in PalmettoPride cleanups and removed 6 million pounds of litter and recyclables from our communities.  South Carolinians have embraced the issue and have become personally involved in eradicating litter from our state.”

According to South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) data collected over seven years, PalmettoPride has been able to measure the rate of reduction.  Based on numbers of bags picked up per mile, the organization has been able to quantify that volunteer inmates removed 919,500 bags of trash from our highways in 7 years.  Using Keep America Beautiful, Inc. calculations of weight per bag, that comes to over 18 million pounds of trash that has been removed from our interstates. In 2007, inmates picked up an average of 6 bags per mile, down from 11 bags in 2001.

“Prideways has not only made the state cleaner, it has given SCDC a great sense of pride – both for administration and for the inmates who volunteer to participate in the cleanups,” said Gerri Miro, Director, Division of Programs & Services for SCDC.”

PalmettoPride created Prideways in collaboration with SCDC and SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT). It is a true public-private program where corporations sponsor 2-miles of interstate for cleanup.  The sponsorship funds a minimum of two cleanups per month by SCDC crews and sponsorship signage along the Interstate.  At this time, 73 segments have been sponsored.  Last year, PalmettoPride gave $190,000 to SCDC for their portion of the Prideways program.