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Click here to view the 2006 Tennessee Litter Survey
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Get Involved...Report Highway Litter(click here)
It's on the side of the scenic drive through Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It's in Reelfoot Lake. It's in the lawn of the capitol building in Nashville. It's on your grandmother's doorstep. Litter is everywhere across our state, and Tennesseans are fed up. When we asked what you thought about litter, you said,
“It's got to stop.”
“Enough is ENOUGH.”
Why should you care about litter? Let us count the ways:
$11,000,000. Yes, you read those zeros right. That's $11 million tax payer dollars our state spends picking up the trash Tennesseans throw down on the ground. That doesn't even count what your city pays to pick up litter in the incorporated areas.
12,000,000 miles are driven each year picking up litter in our state. Think about all the gas that is needed to fuel trucks for litter pick up.
18% of all littered items end up in our streams and waterways as pollution. That means litter in our state travels to other states and eventually ends up in the ocean.
The new Tennessee Litter Law is designed to help reduce some of that trash. Smaller amounts of litter will be punished by a $50 fine, while larger fines are reserved for larger amounts. Offenders can mail in the payment to the county clerk or plead not guilty and face the officer in court. If the judge finds the offender guilty, the person must pay the $50 and court costs. It is hoped that this new law will encourage more enforcement, since the fines are more appropriate for the offenses, and in most cases the officer and the offender will not have to go to court. You can read the entire litter law here.
Here is what others had to say:
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Every morning when I walk the dogs I take trash bags with me because I can't stand the sight of all that styrofoam and recyclables on the sides of the roads. Even though I walk the exact same one mile route I can always get one bag of litter and one bag of recyclables...every day! Come on people!
Angie MacKewn, Weakley County
I hate when people litter! My class picks up trash every Wednesday and Friday afternoon. It's amazing how just in between those to days the trash reappears!
Karissa Ramsay, Greeneville, TN
Let's face reality: the reason these inconsiderate people litter is because it is so easy to get away with it. Nashville needs a large group of volunteers who are charged with actively being on the lookout for folks who litter and will then submit the license plates numbers. If the fines are enforced and they are made public (real important), maybe we can stop others from littering.
Viv Pocek, Hermitate, TN
I am tired of people dumping their trash on my property. I have spent thousands hauling it off and they just keep bringing more. I have prosecuted and they just get a $50.00 fine and turned loose! I want them to pick it up!
Wayne Rutherford, Athens, TN
Besides all the other litter why are there so many people who would not even think about throwing a paper cup,or soda can,but throw cigarette butts all over? Cigarette butts are litter also!!
Roger Groot, Cleveland, TN
Canada - Why can't the United States be more like Canada when it comes to litter? I feel that the people first need to have ownership of their neighborhood, then they would not litter where they live. A major project is needed at Rosedale Ave. Nahville, TN 37207 for persons leaving trash and items at Rosedale Ave. along side of the storm ditch. This must stop.
Mary Sparkman, Nashville, TN
The fine is too low. I live off Old Hickory Blvd between 70S and Highway 40. At least once a week someone "loses" a big plastic bag of rubbish, a car hits the bag and the garbage is strewn all over Old Hickory Blvd. I'm requesting that a no-littering sign showing the fine be posted along Old Hickory Blvd. I'd also like to know how the anti-littering law is being enforced.
Helen Corey, Nashville, TN
When I get out and walk my dog I carry a plastic grocery bag to pick up liter while I'm out walking. It makes me feel like I'm doing someting in my little corner of Tennessee. If everybody did this wouldn't that be great! Of course it would even better if folks were not so lazy and hold onto their trash until they can dispose of it in a trash reeptical. Wonder what in inside of the littering publics vehicles look like? Trash?
Nancy Johnson, Dyersburg, TN
It broke my heart today to stand in awe at the majesty of Twin Falls, Rock Island while standing in horrible amounts of garbage. I live in Asheville NC and visit Tennessee a lot. What can be done?????
Morgana Davis, Asheville, TN
The litter and dumping laws are not strong enough in Tennessee. If they were, we would not see things like this on the side of our roads.
Harry Burton, Rogersville, TN
I think is a horrible thing and it needs to done away with. IT IS DISGUSTING!!!!!
Malorie Garrett, Memphis, TN
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