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Boards agree litterers should be prosecuted

County: Draft solid waste ordinance requires more review

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Litter is a problem that must be addressed at both the law enforcement level and in the courts.

That was the consensus reached last week when Jackson County commissioners met with members of their solid waste advisory board to discuss the future of garbage. The meeting was called to present commissioners with a proposed ordinance that would regulate disposal of solid waste, but it quickly turned into a discussion about what can be done to prevent roadside littering.

Tickets must be written and judges should not be allowed to dismiss littering cases, the group agreed. The message will be carried to a joint meeting of the county and town's scheduled for Tuesday, March 21.

Proper disposal of waste is included in the proposed ordinance. Though already regulated by state law, the dumping of waste along streets or highways would again be prohibited by the draft ordinance.

A "pay-as-you-throw" section has been suggested to become effective Jan. 1, 2003. Though explained as a possible funding option for the program that costs approximately $1.8 million annually to operate and an economic incentive to recycle, PAYT did not appear to have total board support at the March 9 meeting.

"I'm not sold on pay-as-you-throw," Commissioner Roberta Crawford said.

"Pay-as-you-throw was not unanimous among the advisory board either," said member Randi Neff.

"There's a lot to this ordinance that doesn't have anything to do with pay-as-you-throw," said advisory board member and Sylva Town Board member Maurice Moody. "That's why we kept PAYT separate and attached it as an addendum to the ordinance."

One of those other items is a requirement of private haulers to separate recyclables from other solid waste. The document also includes a section on materials that cannot be transported to the Macon County Landfill, which Jackson County shares ownership. These items include burning materials, hazardous waste, used motor oil, lead-acid batteries, liquid waste, white goods, tires, radioactive waste and aluminum cans.

The proposed ordinance also includes a section dealing with enforcement and civil penalties for violations. Fines could range from $100-$500 for illegal dumping, improper transport of waste and littering at an SRC.

The proposed ordinance is similar to one used in Macon County, said advisory board chairman Avram Friedman. It would also give SRC attendants and other county officials the authority to ask people to separate out recyclable or non-complying materials.

Further discussion on the ordinance has been scheduled between commissioners and advisory board members April 13 at 7 p.m.

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