Volunteers asked to join effort to clean Orangeburg County; April named ‘Zero Tolerance for Litter’ month

“Litter is ugly,” Orangeburg County Council Vice Chairwoman Janie Cooper-Smith said during a Monday afternoon press conference.

She said litter hinders the area’s ability to attract businesses and tourists.

“It is really bad for our environment,” Cooper-Smith continued. “I think people should know it and they should be fined for it because it is a crime.”

The press conference, held in the median of Rowesville Road, served as a chance to discuss litter enforcement and the statewide 2022 spring “Clean Where You Live and Work” challenge.

Litter enforcement

Palmetto Pride and S.C. Litter Control are encouraging law enforcement agencies to target littering, uncovered loads and illegal dumping.

The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office has named April “Zero Tolerance for Litter” month. There will be countywide enforcement of litter laws.

The fine for littering in Orangeburg County is $465. If found guilty, the penalty includes a mandatory five hours of community service.

Orangeburg County Department Manager for Litter Control Marie Canty said law enforcement officers can pull people over if they have unsecured loads in the back of their trucks.

“It doesn’t mean something has to come out that load. It just means that it is not secured,” Canty said.

Last year in Orangeburg County, 215 litter citations were issued. The county had 651 community service hours completed.

While all the 2021 cases haven’t yet made their way through court, “so far for 2021, the county has collected a total of $19,632.96 in litter violation fines. We still have 53 litter citations pending in court” with potential fines of $24,645, Canty said.

Over the last month alone, Orangeburg County employees picked over 16,500 pounds of trash just in the county, Canty said.

The county also has a litter machine that was recently used at the Elloree Trials and picked up over 1,000 pounds.

Palmetto Pride Executive Director Sarah Lyles said the Zero Tolerance for Litter campaign combines enforcement and awareness.

“Orangeburg County has been a leader in litter control enforcement for the past many years,” Lyles said. “What you have done with your ordinances and working together with volunteers and Keep Orangeburg County Beautiful and your local law enforcement efforts is exactly what is needed to change the behavior that creates litter.”

Lyles said litter enforcement falls upon business owners, truck drivers and personal vehicle drivers.

“If you have a truck, make sure it is properly secured, and if you see litter in your communities, get out there and help pick it up,” Lyles said.

Lyles said state elected officials have increasingly made litter a priority over the past year, especially on roads going in and out of landfills.

Orangeburg County’s litter codes have served as a model for other counties, she said.

‘Clean Where You

Live and Work’

Under the “Clean Where You Live and Work” challenge, volunteers are being encouraged to clean areas of the county where they live or work. The focus of the campaign will be on Orangeburg County roadsides.

Volunteers are asked to pick a day and time this month for when they want to conduct a cleanup.

Volunteers can call Orangeburg County Code Enforcement at 803-533-6162, Keep Orangeburg County Beautiful’s Lisa Rigden at 803-534-2409 Ext. 8903 (lrigden@orangeburgcounty.org) or Diane Curlee at 803-534-2409 Ext. 8918 (dcurlee@orangeburgcounty.org) to register and pick up bags, grabbers, gloves and vests.

Groups are encouraged to get involved.

Volunteers can call the Orangeburg County Code Enforcement to pick up bags after they are filled. The phone number is 803-533-6162.

The cleanup challenge is sponsored by the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, Keep America Beautiful, Palmetto Pride, Keep South Carolina Beautiful, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Orangeburg County Litter Control, Keep Orangeburg County Beautiful and the Orangeburg County Soil and Water Conservation District.

It’s spearheaded by Orangeburg County Code Enforcement Director M.E. Clarkson as well as Canty and Orangeburg County Litter Control Officer Sgt. Antonio Williams.

For more information on how to get involved in the Clean Where You Live/Work Challenge, visit: orangeburgswcd.com