The Litter Task Force met for the first time this year, Thursday evening, January 22nd at the McDowell County Commission Conference Room. In the absence of Solid Waste Authority Chairman Harold McBride, Vice Chairman Randall Patton presided.
Reiterating the SWA’s “Learn not to Burn” mantra, Patton reminded those in attendance that beginning February 1st, anyone caught burning any trash, other than kiln dried lumber and vegetation will automatically receive a $309.53 ticket. The automatic citation is a part of the SWA’s zero tolerance policy.
Burning household trash, Patton said, produces toxic emissions, which settle on plants and animals and eventually ends up in the water table and the food chain.
Citing documentation from the EPA website, Patton said one burn barrel is equivalent to the emissions of hundreds of cars.
“Learning about these things as been an educational experience for SWA Board members, too,” Patton said. “The board voted to place the no burning ban under our zero tolerance policy because it’s so damaging to the environment. We don’t want to give anyone a ticket; that’s why we’re warning the pubic about it now.”
Litter Control Officer Wendell Hatfield added that he and another DNR officer have already issued a number of illegal burning tickets.
“We’ve been warning people and enforcing it for a while,” Hatfield said. “I’ve probably given about 20 illegal burning tickets over the last two years.”
“The easiest way to know what’s legal is to remember that anything man-made, except for charcoal is illegal to burn,” SWA Officer Manager Trish Blevins added.
After a discussion with Hatfield and Blevins on litterbugs who are repeat offenders, Patton advised Blevins and Hatfield to arrange for the Litter Getters to return to McDowell County. Patton suggested that the best time to bring the Litter Getters back would be after the CopperRidge Landfill provides one additional free dump day this spring. The free dump day is in addition to the free dump day that the landfill provides the last Friday of each month.
Unlike last year, Patton said no public announcement would be made before the litter getters arrive.
Patton said that it is mandatory for all county residents to subscribe to a garbage service or to provide proof through a receipt that they haul their trash to an approved landfill. Not doing so, Patton said, could result in a ticket.
“The county has been cleaned up a lot, but we still have a lot of work left to do,” he said. “We won’t quit until it’s done.”
In that vein, Patton said the SWA would continue to encourage the public to participate in the Adopt-A-Highway or Adopt-A-Spot programs.

Blevins added that entire towns may participate in the clean up by becoming involved in the Make it Shine Community Program. Applications for the Make it Shine Community must be in by mid-February, she said.
Information on Adopt-A-Highway, Adopt-A-Spot and the Make it Shine Community programs are available at the SWA Office or by calling 436-6608.
In an effort to involve more people in the county clean up, Patton scheduled a special public meeting Thursday, Feb. 19th, 5 p.m. in the County Commission Conference Room to discuss forming a Litter Watch Program in the unincorporated areas of the county. The program, he said, would operate much like Neighborhood Watch.
Patton reminded the group that all SWA Board meetings are open to the public. The next SWA Meeting is February 5th, 5 p.m at the SWA Office. The SWA Office is located in the basement of the Courthouse Annex with the entrance being in the back of the building on the street level.
In another matter, Patton said SWA would be assisting with the Town of Keystone clean up later in the year.

PUBLIC INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN LITTER TASK FORCE - In an ongoing effort to clean up McDowell County, Litter Task Force Meetings will be held regularly, SWA Vice Chairman Randall Patton reminded those who attended the first such meeting Thursday evening, January 22nd. Such meetings are open to the public, and the next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19, 5 p.m., at the County Commission Conference Room.
Pictured are those who attended the recent Litter Task Force Meeting: SWA Office Manager Trish Blevins, Deputy Pertee, Litter Control Officer Wendell Hatfield; (top row) Magistrate Martin West, SWA Board Vice Chairman Randall Patton and Magistrate Steve Cox. Volunteer Ken Reeve is not pictured. (Photo by Cathy Patton)