Don’t Drop it, Alabama: ALEA joins PALS in statewide push to keep roads clean
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Special to the News
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is once again partnering with Alabama People Against a Littered State (PALS) and organizations across the state to support the annual “Don’t Drop It on Alabama” spring cleanup campaign.
Throughout the month of April, the initiative encourages Alabamians to take an active role in keeping their communities clean by participating in local cleanup efforts.
Volunteer opportunities are available statewide for city, county, school, neighborhood, and civic groups. All supportive cleanup materials are provided at no cost to all participants and include large trash bags, car type litter-bags, all PALS brochures, Ad Slicks, and other valuable materials for a successful cleanup week.
Jamie Mitchell, PALS executive director, said, “For nearly 40 years, the ‘Don’t Drop it on Alabama’ Spring Cleanup has been a springboard for litter cleanups around the state. We are grateful to Coca-Cola United for once again partnering with us as the Title Sponsor of the cleanup, and we thank ALDOT and ALEA for their support, as well. Counties, cities, schools, community groups, and individual volunteers picked up over 2 million pounds of litter in the 2025 effort. We would love to see that number decrease each year through prevention. Let’s work together to cleanup then keep Alabama litter-free in 2026!”
While the campaign emphasizes community pride and environmental responsibility, ALEA officials stress that littering is not only harmful, it is illegal.
Under Alabama law, littering is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $3,000 and community service for repeat offenders. The law applies to all forms of litter, including items commonly discarded from vehicles such as cigarette butts, food containers and debris from unsecured loads.
ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said, “Keeping Alabama clean is a shared responsibility. When individuals choose to litter, it not only damages our environment, but also creates unnecessary hazards along our roadways. We encourage every Alabamian to take pride in their community, do the right thing and help protect the natural beauty of our state for future generations.”
April serves as a reminder that small actions, such as properly disposing of trash or securing a load, can have a lasting impact on Alabama’s roadways and communities.
ALEA’s Director of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Colonel Jonathan Archer added, “We aren’t asking for much; we simply hope everyone will take responsibility for their own litter. It is also important for motorists to secure their loads before hitting the highway. If we all do our part, we will be that much closer to being what Andy Britton of Coca-Cola United, a PALS partner organization, calls ‘a world without waste.’”
ALEA Offers These Tips to Ensure You Don’t Drop It on Alabama:
- Always secure your load – whether you are driving a large truck or a passenger vehicle with items on a rack.
- Keep a small trash bag in your vehicle for easy disposal after each trip.
- Never toss cigarette butts, which are among the most littered items and can also spark roadside fires.
- Dispose of trash only at designated locations – not on roadways or in parking lots.
For more information about illegal littering or to get involved in cleanup efforts in your community, visit ALPALS – Alabama People Against a Littered State at www.alpals.org/default.
