Tackling Intentional and Unintentional Littering on Nantucket

Sponsor: Nantucket Litter Derby
Sponsor Liaison: Leah Mojer
Student Team: Ryan Agge, Alexander Barker, Aaron Bonci, Shane Gardiner
Abstract: Nantucket faces litter challenges along roadways, beaches, and transfer-station routes. Despite regulations, issues like uncovered loads, alcohol container litter, and limited public awareness all contribute to litter. This project analyzed major litter sources and identified strategies to reduce them. We collaborated with the DPW as well as other organizations where we identified problem areas and reviewed current practices. Gaps in enforcement, inconsistent waste-transport habits, and limited redemption options play key roles. We recommend for Nantucket to strengthen awareness and education, improve bottle-redemption access, promote proper handling of construction waste, increase signage and enforcement for uncovered loads, and explore adding receptacles and reverse-vending options. 
Link:

Final Report: WPI NLD Final Report

Final Presentation: WPI NLD Final Presentation

Executive Summary

Litter is a concern in communities across the United States, affecting public health, environmental quality, and the appearance of neighborhoods. Anything that is improperly disposed of, intentionally or unintentionally, can be classified as litter, and different types of litter present different challenges and threats to the environment and communities. Cleanup efforts for litter can reach millions of dollars, creating a costly problem for both states, cities, and towns to struggle with.  

  Nantucket is no exception to the problems associated with litter. Despite its natural beauty and strong environmental ethics, the island faces persistent litter challenges. As a resort destination, these are made more difficult because its population spikes from roughly 14,000 people in the winter to 80,000 in the summer. During the annual Nantucket Litter Derby just last year, a total of 30,000 lbs of litter was collected.   

Nantucket has taken steps to reduce the number of items that are frequently littered. For example, in the 1990s, Nantucket required that all vendors/businesses use “Biodegradable packaging”, to the extent possible. Additionally, in 2018 Nantucket adopted a bylaw to ban single-use plastics from sale or distribution. Moreover, residents on the island participate in volunteer efforts to clean-up litter, including as part of the annual Litter Derby and the Nantucket Clean Team. In 2025, the Litter Derby collected over 30,000 pounds of litter. The Clean Team meets every Saturday morning from May to November to clean up trash in certain areas.  

 Project Goal and Objectives   

  The goal of this project was to develop a set of actionable recommendations to help deter littering that address changes in policies, infrastructure, community outreach, and engagement. To complete this goal, we completed three objectives to:    

1 – Collect the opinions of the stakeholders on Nantucket regarding types and causes of litter as well as the current and potential policies and practices to deter littering.     

2 – Identify effective policies and practices used to deter littering in other communities.   

3 – Develop a set of actionable recommendations to deter littering that address changes in policies, infrastructure, and community outreach and engagement.      

Findings   

We conducted interviews with 15 Nantucket stakeholders to gain perspectives on what were the biggest contributors to littering on the island and potential solutions to the problems. Some notable organizations we conducted interviews with included the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Nantucket Clean Team, the Nantucket Land Bank, and past winners of the Nantucket Litter Derby. The positions of interviewees ranged from executives who held high positions in their relevant organizations to people who were responsible with cleanup efforts on the island. 

The interviewees indicated five types of litter that are particularly problematic. These included uncovered loads, alcohol container litter, construction waste, illegal dumping, and Nantucket’s downtown trash barrels.    

  • Uncovered loads were the most often mentioned issue related to litter by our interviewees (10/15), citing a lack of awareness of the related laws and limits in the current enforcement of uncovered loads.    
  • Several (7/15) interviewees noted that alcohol containers comprise a significant portion of the litter on Nantucket. The lack of accessible bottle redemption on the island and awareness of how to properly dispose of bottles was a reoccurring theme. 
  • Interviewees that participated in clean-up teams like the Nantucket Clean Team and the Nantucket Litter Derby noted that construction debris often blew from dumpsters on construction sites that lacked proper coverage (7/15). 
  • The town’s trash barrels, while fitting with the town’s historical aesthetic, saw critique from some (5/14) of our interviewees. They are plagued with issues related to unsecure lids, faded labels, and a lack of cleaning. Unsecured lids easily fly off on windy days, resulting in trash flying out and seagulls getting inside.   
  • While the town’s landfill has waived fees on larger items and residential waste for residents, these benefits are not clearly stated. This means that some locals may be hesitant to properly dispose of materials at the dump due to a fear of paying a fee.  

Across all these key issues, something that was a clear trend among interviewees were issues of a lack of awareness regarding the litter problem and a lack of enforcement regarding litter. While the NPD is doing their diligence in helping with litter related issues, including patrols for uncovered loads, there are gaps in enforcement that can be addressed. While the town has made efforts through cleanup events, signage, and public outreach, the island still contends with recurring litter, especially during peak tourism and landscaping seasons. Interviews with local officials, businesses, and cleanup organizations revealed concerns about the lack of consistent infrastructure, such as accessible bottle return and accessible recycling bins. 

Recommendations   

The Town of Nantucket should consider awareness campaigns to help deter litter.   

Through conducting interviews with Nantucket stakeholders, we have been able to conclude that one of Nantucket’s biggest problems with litter relates to the topic of awareness. The current mechanisms that are in place to inform residents, workers, and tourists of the behavior that is expected on the island are limited, which can lead to confusion and increased chances of littering. This is a problem that extends to several of the different key issues noted in the findings: With uncovered loads, the methods that are used to help notify people how to properly secure items are limited. With illegal dumping, the awareness of the waived fees at the dump for certain items is not clear.    

The town of Nantucket should be clearer where bottle-redemption is present on the island and increase accessibility for bottle redemption and recycling infrastructure. 

Our recommendation to help reduce alcohol litter is to have more recycling options available in high traffic locations such as ferry terminals, beaches, and parking lots. Because most alcohol containers can be recycled, the addition of recycling in areas where bins are not present can help reduce litter, especially in the busy summer months when beaches are visited more frequently. Another recommendation is to have more reverse vending machines on the island. Having these machines in convenient locations will hopefully encourage more people to bring their bottles and cans back. 

The Town of Nantucket should consider a pilot program to help raise awareness and enforcement regarding uncovered loads.   

Through hearing all the varying opinions present on the island regarding litter, the one thing that was nearly unanimous was that there is a problem with uncovered loads on the island. The gaps in the current enforcement of uncovered load laws are notable. While the NPD is doing what they can to catch those driving with uncovered loads and people reported for littering, there are opportunities present to make this more effective.     

The town of Nantucket should ensure that these laws are known by both haulers and residents. One of the ways that the messaging can be clearer can be the addition of signs along Madaket Road and at the landfill that are high visibility and clearly articulate that covering your load is the law. Along with this, companies who own different haulers should ensure that their drivers are aware that what they are carrying should always be adequately secured.    

A pilot program stationed at the dump aimed at increasing both enforcement and awareness should be considered. Grand Island, Nebraska’s model of a small additional fee ($10) in exchange for a tarp is an example of a possible approach that mixes both increased enforcement and awareness.   

The Town of Nantucket should consider a bylaw requiring dumpsters at construction sites to be covered during off-hours.   

Our recommendation, to help deter litter from construction waste, is to adopt a bylaw that enforces construction and commercial dumpsters to be required to have covers to help stop debris from blowing out of the dumpsters. Nantucket already has building inspectors that inspect new construction, so having them look at the dumpsters on site wouldn’t take much time, and they could issue fines if the dumpsters are not equipped with proper covers. Residents could also call 311, the non-emergency number, to report contractors not properly covering dumpsters or to even report litter on the construction site.    

The town of Nantucket should consider the use of surveillance cameras at known illegal dumping sites.   

Illegal dumping can persist if there is a lack of a presence to track the culprit. Several interviewees made note of key problem sites on the island related to litter, including Cow Pond Lane and Mill Hill. We recommend the addition of wireless cameras at reported illegal dumping sites, for the purpose of monitoring the location to see if an identification can be made of sources of the litter. There are cheap options for cameras that would be easy to set up and monitor, including trail cameras.   

The town of Nantucket should evaluate changes to the current trash barrels.   

The trash barrels that are present in town have downsides, notably the problematic lids which often blow off in the high winds that allow seagulls to gain access and displace trash. The aesthetic of the barrels harkens back to Nantucket’s history, and the replacement of these barrels is not something that should be done with feedback from both the DPW workers who service the bins and locals who appreciate the barrels’ aesthetic.   

There are several steps that Nantucket can take.   

  • Service the current lids that are used on the barrels. Several easy steps can be taken to make using the bins more appealing to residents and reduce the litter-related issues they currently have.   
  • Clean the lids. Many of the lids are unsanitary, resulting in people not wanting to touch them, especially the ones which still have flaps.    
  • Replace worn-down labels. Many of the lids have illegible labels which lead to confusion of what type of waste goes in each bin.    
  • Install latches onto the current lids to eliminate the threat of wind blowing them off.   
  • Conduct a pilot program that adds new trash receptacle designs in a few high-traffic areas around Nantucket, including Main Street, Easy Street, and Candle Street.   

The purpose of conducting a program would be to see how different stakeholders on the island feel about them as potential replacements. Several factors should be considered, including:   

  • Aesthetic: Do residents like the design? Does the aesthetic still fit in with the down?   
  • Convenience: Is it easier for residents to identify what each bin is meant for (glass, aluminum, etc.)?   
  • Ease for workers: Does the new design take more effort for workers to replace trash bags? Do they    
  • If there is a design that is shown to have positive support from both the public and workers, it should be considered a complete replacement for the bins.