Clean Communities

New Jersey Clean Communities is a statewide litter abatement program created by the passage of the Clean Communities Act. The program is managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Treasury, and Clean Communities Council. It’s supported by local governments, businesses, community organizations, schools and individuals who work together to keep New Jersey clean.

New Jersey Clean Communities at the local level involves a three-fold attack on litter: cleanup, enforcement, and education. The first step in fighting litter is identifying it. Litter is solid waste that’s out of place. It’s the kind of trash found on highways, lakefronts, parks, and school grounds. Litter takes many forms: paper, plastics, metal cans, cigarette butts, glass, food packaging, tires, and graffiti.

There are seven sources of litter: pedestrians, motorists, overflowing household garbage, construction sites, and uncovered trucks. Litter is often blown by the wind until it is trapped somewhere, as along a fence. People tend to litter when they think someone else will clean up, when an area is already littered, and when they do not feel a sense of ownership or community pride.

Hillsborough Township’s three-step approach includes:

1. Litter Pick up and Removal
2. Enforcement of Litter Abatement Ordinances
3. Public Education and Outreach

Why you should get involved?

• Litter and illegal dumping impacts human, animal and environmental health.
• Litter is unsightly. People who litter show a lack of pride in their community and in themselves.
• Litter is a health hazard. When litter is allowed to accumulate, it promotes a breeding place for disease-carrying insects and rodents.
• Litter is hazardous. Broken glass and other sharp objects littering our environment can cause injuries.
• Litter is a fire hazard. Flammable agents combined with lit cigarettes, tires and wood scraps can spontaneously combust.
• Litter impacts storm drains; obstructing drainage, waterways and is harmful to wildlife, fish and plant life.
• Litter is costly to taxpayers. Large amounts of money are spent each year in clean-up costs.
• Litter interferes with our enjoyment of public places in turn lowering our quality of living and negatively impacting Hillsborough Townships public image.

What can you do to make a difference?

• Community involvement is essential to curbing litter. We are looking for individuals, school groups, churches, or businesses willing to donate some time to continue to keep Hillsborough Township beautiful.
• Keep your own property litter-free
• Encourage officials to provide enough receptacles for pedestrian and motorist littler
• Get involved with the Hillsborough Township Clean Communities Program
• Help spread the anti-litter message
• Adopt-a-Spot or Adopt-a-Road It takes the entire community, including businesses, community organizations, schools and residents to get involved in programs and projects developed to reduce litter.

"Litter is everyone’s responsibility. Please join me in combating unsightly litter by volunteering for cleanups and helping educate others on the importance of not littering."

You too can be a #litterhero!!

What seems like small amounts of litter around your neighborhood can add up to a big problem when it ends up in storm drains and causes pollutants to enter waterways.   Litter and trash clog storm drains which causes flooding, which can lead to damaging homes and businesses. Cigarette butts, paper, cans, bottles, plastic wrappers and bags, and more that litter the side of the road can travel down drainage ditches and wash into nearby rivers and streams, harming drinking water supplies and wildlife.  Help keep our water clean by properly disposing of trash before it becomes litter, keeping lids on garbage cans and recycling containers, picking up neighborhood trash and properly disposing of it and never putting anything in or near the storm drain or drainage ditch. Working together we can protect our environment and keep Boro Clean!

Please protect our storm drains and waterways. We have been seeing a lot of pet waste litter around town. Please remember to dispose of your pet waste responsibly!!

Did you know that pet waste is a large contributor to Stormwater Pollution, which degrades our water quality? It is estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, which is known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders in humans.

Please clean up after your pet responsibly! Dispose of pet waste in trash receptacles. Do not litter or toss into our Storm Drains!

Kaptain Cleanup reminds you to be a #litterhero and make a difference in your community!

Save the Dates

2023 Events Registration

The 2023 Litter Cleanup Dates are:

Virtual Litter Cleanups January - December 2023
Earth Day Litter Cleanup – April 22, 2023
LITTERCON 2023 – November 18, 2023

April 22, 2023 - Earth Day Litter Clean Up

The purpose of this event is to provide a litter cleanup event for Earth Day (April 22nd). We also ask that you make a personal pledge to do one thing that will impact the earth in a positive way! This could be as simple as, not using plastic, planting a tree or picking up 10 pieces of litter each week. The Earth is our home and it is one thing we all have in common! Let’s work together to make it a better place for future generations.

Let’s work together to make it a better place for future generations.

November 18, 2023 - Littercon

Littercon is a festive community event where people come together (socially distanced) to pick up litter in preparation for the Holidays.

Volunteers can register for all of the Litter Cleanup Events by contacting us at dpw@hillsborough-nj.org or by calling 908-369-4313, prompt 6.
Please download, sign and bring waivers to the event. Thank you for being a #litterhero!!