Sweeping also serves to reduce the negative effects of excessive water and flooding in a parking lot. Another key aspect of keeping a parking lot swept and clean is that it encourages customers to use trash receptacles as opposed to throwing trash on the ground.  In other words, a clean and tidy parking lot will encourage clean and tidy behavior.  Equally important is to consider the fact that trash along with dirt, debris, and other abrasives have been shown to effectively shorten the life of a parking lot pavement.