Keep the community clean!

The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking volunteers to help remove litter from local roads during this year’s spring litter sweep event, held April 16 to 30. Volunteers played an integral role in removing more than 4.2 million pounds of roadside litter during the 2010 spring and fall litter sweeps.
“The department’s spring litter sweep is a great opportunity for all of us to pitch in to revitalize the beauty of North Carolina’s roads,” said Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. “By improving safety and appearance, we can ensure we provide visitors with a positive impression of our scenic state.”
Interested litter sweep volunteers may contact their local NCDOT county maintenance office to obtain cleanup supplies. Children between the ages of 12 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are required to watch a safety video and wear safety gear. Everyone is reminded to warm up by stretching before picking up litter and to drink plenty of water during the cleanup.
NCDOT maintenance crews, Adopt-A-Highway groups, N.C. Department of Correction inmate crews and community service workers will also take to the highways to pick up roadside litter during spring litter sweep.
Additionally, the N.C. State Highway Patrol will be on alert and policing the roadways for motorists with unsecured loads and others that intentionally and unintentionally litter. Littering is an illegal, fineable offense. Upon conviction, the defendant can be fined up to $2,000, receive a point on their driver's license and be sentenced to community service work. Fines can double upon a second conviction.
The bi-annual litter sweeps are administered by the NCDOT Office of Beautification Programs. For more information, call (800) 331-5864 or visit the Office of Beautification Programs website and click on “Litter Sweep.” Volunteers can also receive information and updates by following NCDOT on Twitter, visiting the department’s Facebook page or viewing videos about litter sweep on YouTube.

The 2011 fall Litter Sweep is scheduled for Sept. 17-Oct. 1.