The Washington State Patrol is targeting the highways and roads that lead to the transfer and recycle stations in Klickitat County with the intention of catching violators littering.
"Enforcement of littering laws is considered the biggest deterrent to littering and the law provides a number of different enforcement options for tackling irresponsible behavior of those violators," stated Sergeant Retzlaff of the Washington State Patrol. "The biggest concern continues to be with drivers failing to properly secure and cover their loads. When debris ends up on the highway, not only is this unsightly to the community, but litter thrown by people or falling from unsecured loads poses a serious health and safety hazard."
There is a toll-free phone line available to report littering incidents that people witness, such as a person throwing something out the window of a vehicle or an item falling from an unsecured load.
The State Department of Ecology operates the litter hotline in cooperation with the Washington State Patrol and the Washington State Department of Licensing. The number is 1-866-LITTER-1 (1-866-548-8371). Operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Over 12 million pounds of litter accumulate on Washington roadways each year and the Department of Ecology alone spends approximately $4 million a year on clean-up. The Washington State Patrol is committed to reducing injuries and saving lives.
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