As the weather changes from the cold of winter to the warmth of spring, people may begin to notice trash build-up alongside roadways. As a part of the changing season, MoDOT is asking for volunteers for their “No MOre Trash Bash”, which is a movement designed to ask for the participation of the public to clean up Missouri roadways.
Particular focus are those who have been involved in the Adopt-A-Highway system, where many community groups have made efforts to take charge of specific highways to keep clean.
MoDOT has stated it will provide trash bags and safety vests to anyone who volunteers, and events will be announced regionally so people can join a group effort in picking up litter.
One of the easiest ways to help combat litter is not to create it in the first place. Remember these simple tips:
- Don’t litter. Keep a bag for trash in your car or truck and wait to dispose of it properly. Littering is a class A misdemeanor in Missouri. Anyone convicted of littering may be imprisoned in the county jail for up to one year and fined up to $1,000 per incident. Illegal disposal of solid waste may be punishable as a Class D felony with fines of $20,000 or higher.
- Secure the load. Make sure nothing blows out or gets bumped into the roadway. In addition to creating litter, unsecured loads can be a safety hazard to the vehicles behind you. Missouri statutes (Missouri Revised Statutes 307.010) and various city ordinances require all loads in transport must be secured. Trailers without sides must be completely covered by tarps, truck tailgates must be up and the disposal items cannot be hanging off the vehicle in any way. Any vehicle without its load completely covered will be assessed a $25 unsecured load fee.
To learn more about how you can safely participate, visit www.modot.org/adopt-highway or call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).
