70.93.097 Require Litter Receptacles States may require litter receptacles to be placed on public properties or on private properties that are open to the public. Public properties may include rest areas, road turn out points, parks, and river access locations. Private properties that are open to the public include fast food restaurants, grocery stores, convenience markets, and other types of commercial properties. Louisiana's law specifically requires the owner of public parking lots to have litter receptacles.
Litter receptacles keep potential litter in the solid waste management system.
A Missouri Division of Tourism report on litter control in state tourist areas noted the potential hazards posed by litter receptacles. For example, vandalism may necessitate chaining litter receptacles to an anchor. Fires may be ignited in a remote or unsupervised litter receptacle. In addition to travel litter, household trash may be placed in litter receptacles. States specify the number of receptacles required to be placed on the property by administrative rule or the law allows the public property owner to determine the appropriate number for the property.