Home Recycling Litter Programs Recycling Facility Landfill Links Contact Us
   

Litter

 

Did You Know?

According to Ohio Law, litter is defined as ANY debris that is thrown or dropped by a person on public property that is not privately owned by the individual. This law includes state waterways.


Seven Sources of Litter

No matter where litter starts, it moves. From streets and highways to parks and waterways. Wind and weather moves litter around a community, into gutters, planted gardens, alleyways and parking areas. In one study, researchers found that 18% of all littered items end up in our streams and waterways as pollution.

We know that there are seven primary sources of litter:

  • Pedestrians or cyclists who do not use proper receptacles.
  • Motorists who do not use vehicle ashtrays or car litter bags.
  • Business dumpsters that are improperly covered
  • Loading docks and commercial or residential marinas with inadequate waste receptacles
  • Construction and demolition sites without a tarp and receptacles to contain debris and waste.
  • Trucks with uncovered loads on local roads and highways.
  • Household trash scattered before or during collection.

Keep America Beautiful has determined that people litter because:

  • They feel no sense of ownership, even through areas such as parks and beaches are public property.
  • They believe someone else – park maintenance or highway worker- will pick up after them.
  • The litter has already accumulated – so what’s a little more

 

What can YOU  do to help?

…..by modeling proper trash and waste disposal, you will cause others to consider their actions, too. The Hancock County Solid Waste Management District has a limited staff that is responsible for overseeing and maintaining the 532 sq. miles of roadways. Your efforts of proper disposal methods and debris collection will help keep our community beautify.


                     Get Involved “Adopt-A-Road” Program

With this program the Hancock County Solid Waste District offers community service  opportunities for families, church groups, clubs, schools, youth and adult organizations,  businesses, and other special interest groups. Having an active roll in the environment shows pride  and responsibility for our community.

Interested volunteer groups and participants accept the responsibly of collecting litter and other  debris from a designated two-mile section of county or township roadway (of their choosing) four  times a year for a two-year period.  In recognition of the groups efforts, Hancock County Solid Waste Management District will post signs at your selected designated roadway cleanup site.  For more  information please e-mail us or call 419-424-7210.

                                      Click Here for an Adopt-A-Road Application Form

                          Ready to GET INVOLVED! Send completed application forms to:

Hancock County SWMD

300 S. Main Street     Findlay, Ohio  45840 

fax 419-424-7828 or e-mail HancockSWMD@co.hancock.oh.us

top


Get Involved - Great American Cleanup

                       Hancock County Spring Cleanup

The Hancock County Solid Waste Management District Environmental Service Office will be holding it Annual Spring Cleanup in April. This event is in affiliation with Keep America Beautiful’s (KAB) Great American Cleanup.  “The Great American Cleanup embodies America’s can-do spirit with millions of volunteers taking the environment into their own hands. Americans are rallying together to clean up graffiti, eliminate litter and preserve our waterways to create a cleaner, safer and more beautiful environment for generations to come,” said G. Raymond Empson, past-president of Keep America Beautiful.  The Great American Cleanup (GAC) is the nations largest organized litter prevention, beautification and community improvement program. In 2008 the GAC had 3,000,000 volunteers that worked 6,700,000 hours to collect 86,000,000 pound of debris and 1,440,000 tires.  Wow!

A cleaner environment allows for a more beautiful, safer and healthier community in which everyone can enjoy living & working within. As a community we all need to take responsibility and achieve this goal for our environment.  In 2008 we had over 2,500 volunteers locally that worked more than 3,750 hours to collect 1,403 pounds of debris and 33 tires. Volunteers covered nearly 130 miles of Hancock County.

The Hancock County Solid Waste Management District Environmental Services Office is planning on hosting Litter Awareness week of April 25 – 30, 2011.  Groups, organizations and participants may conduct their one-time clean up at any time during the month of April, please be sure to notify our office & register to receive credit for your efforts and so that we can track the results.

Registered volunteers may join us for an appreciation luncheon on our designated Spring Cleanup Day. This year the luncheon will be on April 30, 2011. This luncheon normally is on the last Saturday of April and follows the Litter Awareness Week Activities. Those activities include:

 

  • APRIL 24 - CHURCH BULLETIN DAY - Make an extra effort to recycle your bulletins – notify the office regarding how many pounds you collected
  • APRIL 25 - BUSINESS & INDUSTRY AWARENESS DAY - Call ahead to schedule a presentation in your offices regarding ways you can help recycle- don’t have time for a meeting simply start a recycling program in your break rooms to increase awareness
  • APRIL 26 - CLEAN YOUR FILES DAY - Most record retention requirements indicate that files can be destroyed / recycled after 7-10 years. Any chance yours are older than that?  Recycle those old files and save a tree or two in the process!
  • APRIL 27 – RECYCLE IT / COMPOST IT DAY - Empty those recycling bins; crush those cans; compost those food scraps. Taking something old and making it into something new is a vital part of our environment.
  • APRIL 28 – “EARTH DAY” again! - Since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, people around the world have been celebrating this wonderful planet we call Earth and all of its forests, waters, plants, animals and people.  In Ohio, we need your help to make everyday Earth Day. 
  • APRIL 29 –ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION DAY - Sharing knowledge is extremely important to closing the loop. The SWMD offers classroom presentations & activities to help promote recycling & litter prevention awareness programs in your school. Call to schedule your presentation.
  • APRIL 30 –   30th Annual SPRING CLEANUP DAY / LUNCHEON - Pre-register to participate in the largest litter collection of the year and appreciation luncheon. Be apart of the national Keep America Beautiful – Great American Cleanup Campaign.

 

For more information please e-mail us or call 419-424-7210.

Click here – 2011 GAC/SCU Registration Form           Click here – 2011 Participant Information

Ready to GET INVOLVED! Send completed registration form to:

The Hancock County SWMD – Environmental Services Office

300 S. Main Street         Findlay, Ohio  45840 

fax 419-424-7828 or e-mail HancockSWMD@co.hancock.oh.us


KAB Litter Index Report -Hancock County

Looking at litter is the place to begin the first step in the litter prevention education process. The Keep America Beautiful Litter Index is a credible and simple tool that allows quick and reliable visual assessment of the types of litter present in a community. The data obtained through the Litter Index determines the types of community improvement programs needed to address current conditions, and achieve long-term sustainable results.

The Litter Index is designed to measure progress over time. It helps identify what is effective—and what isn't—in positively changing littering attitudes and behaviors and related community improvement issues. Consistent use of the Litter Index on an annual basis can help track overall progress in reducing litter, and can quantitatively express success in community improvement.

Click here – Litter Index Report

 

top


mailing address: 300 S. Main Street • Findlay, Ohio 45840 • Phone: 419-424-7210 • Fax: 419-424-7828




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home | Recycling | Litter | Recycling Facility | Landfill | Links | Contact Us