Litter Prevention
Litter Prevention Tips for Businesses
Litter Prevention Tips for Residents
Are you aware that littering is a violation of both state and city law? It is a Class C Misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500.00. Between December 2000 and December 2001, 175 citations and 112 warnings have been issued, 11 outstanding warrants have been filed, and 7 arrests have been made for littering and illegal dumping in Denton.
It is also a city law and a Class C Misdemeanor to "allow any such substance (litter) to remain in or upon any premises owned or controlled by him." This means that residents and businesses alike are ultimately responsible for any trash and debris that is allowed to accumulate on their property. By law, litter is defined as anything from food scraps, cigarette butts and discarded tires to glass, metal, paper, and plastic items. Keep America Beautiful defines litter as "misplaced, man-made solid waste."
DID YOU KNOW THAT IT IS A VIOLATION PUNISHABLE WITH A FINE OF UP TO $500.00 TO:
- allow trash and debris to accumulate on your property,
- place loose trash in a dumpster-(it must be secured in a bag so that it does not scatter while the container is being serviced by the Solid Waste Department),
- use another business's dumpster without their permission,
- allow bulky items to accumulate around your dumpster except within 48 hours of the scheduled bulky waste pickup,
- pour cooking grease into storm drains,
- dump petroleum products into storm drains, manholes, or on the ground--$1,000-$50,000 fine and imprisonment not to exceed 5 years.
The Denton Police Department now has an 'Environmental Crimes Unit' whose purpose it is to enforce the city's laws and ordinances regarding littering and illegal dumping.
To report illegal dumping in the City of Denton, please call Officer Mike Sweet at the 'Illegal Dumping and Litter Abatement' hotline at (940) 484-JUNK (5865).
The following information is taken from a PowerPoint presentation on Clean Business training (Spring 2001):
As an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, KDB is required to address 3 major issues:- Litter Prevention
- Beautification and Community Improvement
- Decrease the impact of Solid Waste on the community
- 60% referenced litter on street and highway right-of-way,
- 28% of the comments addressed illegal dumping.
As a result of the “Raise the Bar” survey, the City Manager’s Office created a multi-departmental Litter Task Force to further study the problem and to make recommendations for effective abatement strategies. Abbreviated results of the Litter Abatement Study are as follows:
- 134 miles of major roadways through Denton are significantly littered,
- 35 miles of local streets are significantly littered,
- 15 drainage ditches are significantly littered,
- “add one enforcement officer to specialize in litter abatement...
Littering is at once a symptom, and a problem. It is symptomatic of many things, among them:
- a lack of awareness,
- a lack of concern,
- a lack of personal pride,
- a lack of community pride, and
- a lack of investment.
The Top 10
Litter Complaint Areas in Denton
- University Drive
- I-35
- Fry Street
- Loop 288 (Mall)
- Owsley
- Fort Worth Drive
- UNT
- Dallas Drive
- Hwy 77
- McKinney
The Program will emphasize PREVENTION Not Pick-Up
PREVENTION requires drying up the SOURCES OF LITTER
The 9 Sources of Litter are:
- Residential Putouts
- Commercial Putouts
- Loading Docks
- Construction/Demolition Sites
- Uncovered Trucks
- Pedestrians
- Motorists
- Boaters
- Illegal Dumpsites
- both male and female
- 16 to 24 years of age,
- smokes,
- has access to a vehicle,
- parties approximately two nights a week, and
- frequents fast food restaurants.
To dry up the sources of litter, we must address the problem through the use of four strategies…
- Education
- Solid Waste Technology
- Enforcement
- Ordinances
