News

County launches anti-litter website

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 28, 2021

Henderson County has launched a new website to publicize information on an anti-litter campaign.

County Commissioner Rebecca McCall has sparked the effort to "Keep Henderson County Beautiful," pointing out that litter has increased across the state. It's unclear why, but the amount of roadside trash seems to have increased since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic a year ago. A board member of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, McCall said litter has been a topic at association meetings.

As part of statewide litter removal efforts, N.C. Department of Transportation crews contractors and volunteers have now collected more than 2 million pounds of litter from roadsides this year, the DOT reported last week.

The DOT is seeking volunteers to help clean up trash along roads during the Adopt-A-Highway Spring Litter Sweep April 10-24. Litter Sweep volunteers are provided with clean-up supplies such as trash bags, gloves and safety vests from local NCDOT County Maintenance Yard offices. All volunteers are encouraged to follow proper COVID-19 safety guidance. This includes wearing a mask and gloves at all times and keeping six feet apart from other volunteers. To sign up or to get more information, visit the Litter Sweep web page or call 919-707-2970.

The new county website promotes the cleanup campaign and also serves as a clearinghouse for litter-related information. It provides a link where civic clubs, neighborhoods, youth groups and other organizations can report their participation in the Spring Litter Sweep, an FAQ section on litter pickup programs, a link to an NCDOT site to report litter, debris or animal carcasses on roadsides and a link to the "Swat a Litter Bug" site to report someone throwing trash from a vehicle.

"More than just a mark on our landscape," litter:

• Is costly to clean up
• Impacts our quality of life
• Impacts economic development
• Eventually ends up in our waterways and oceans

“NCDOT and our partners have been working tirelessly over the past three months to remove litter from roadsides,” said state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “But there’s a lot more work to do and we could certainly use help from citizens who can do their part by disposing of trash properly or volunteering during our upcoming Spring Litter Sweep.”

NCDOT reported that the agency and its partners have removed 2.15 million pounds of litter since Jan. 1. That figure includes the 976,000 pounds of litter removed from roadsides since March 1. To prevent litter, the DOT advises people to:

• Secure loads before driving. Unsecured trash can fly from a vehicle and end up as roadside litter.
• Hold onto trash until it can be disposed of properly. Keep a litter bag in your vehicle so you can properly dispose of trash later.
• Recycle when possible. Recycling protects the environment, saves landfill space and keeps the community clean.