Letter | Oblivious trash-hauling Carolina Forest drivers a primary source of litter
An article in The Sun News, “Talking Trash” on April 1, was of great interest. Litter is an issue I have wanted to address. The origin of litter is mostly placed on illegal dumping. But the real culprits of litter are drivers hauling trash and debris in their pick-up trucks and open utility trailers.
Living in Carolina Forest about a mile from the Solid Waste and Recycling Center on International Drive, I see this source of litter frequently. Hefty bags of trash bounce out of pick-up trucks onto the roadways. Same is true for loose trash and debris blowing out of utility trailers.
Construction material and yard waste hauled by open utility trailers hitched onto cars and trucks also end up on the roadways. Recently, I was driving behind a utility trailer hauling yard waste to the solid waste collection center. The trailer was bouncing along International Drive, tossing large dead branches of palm trees, bushes, tree branches and other yard debris. The utility trailer was practically empty by the time the driver reached the waste center.
Living on Carolina Forest Boulevard, a main route to the solid waste center on International Drive, it never ceases to amaze me how much debris can be spotted on the boulevard, as well as trenches that clearly came from debris being hauled. Some of this trash is also in the form of building material from the many subdivisions under construction in Carolina Forest.
A short while ago while driving on Robert Grissom Parkway, I was behind a cherry-picker truck. Sheets of aluminum were blowing from the truck onto the parkway and nearly hit my windshield. I couldn’t get close enough to get a tag number or identify the truck - because of the blowing debris.
Pick-up truck drivers and those hauling trash and debris in open utility trailers seem oblivious to what is blowing out of their rigs onto the roadways. They are also ignorant as to the dangers this poses to vehicles following behind them on the roadways.
It is also heartbreaking to see the amount of trash and debris that end up in the many ponds and lakes in Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas. Waterfowl, turtles, fish and other aquatic life are threatened by this debris; they may ingest or become entangled.
The solution is three-fold:
- First, signs should be posted at solid waste collection centers advising haulers to secure trash loads on their cargo vehicles and posting the amount of fines for violations. All motorists should be apprised to report violations of trash spilling out of vehicles on the roadways to the police.
- Second, the state of South Carolina should raise the fines and jail sentencing for illegal dumping to the highest allowable amount.
- Third, counties should go on a statewide campaign to educate residents and vacationers about the penalties of illegal dumping of rubbish and how best to dispose of their solid waste and recyclables.
Heightened awareness can not only curb the amount of illegal dumping and trash blowing out of pick-up trucks, utility trailers and construction vehicles, it can also save the state and counties money by conducting fewer litter cleanups, and it can help prevent accidents by lessening the amount of debris being hauled that ends up along the roadways or motorist’s windshields.
I would also encourage the various community/civic and homeowner associations to rally the troops and contact your state and county governments, along with your elected representatives, to help make Horry County and South Carolina as litter-free as possible, thereby setting a good example and taking pride in our state.
Together, we can all make this beautification effort become a reality.
The writer lives in Carolina Forest.
This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 2:26 PM with the headline "Letter | Oblivious trash-hauling Carolina Forest drivers a primary source of litter."