Arkansas Residents Need to Remove Permanent Trash Bins

First posted on 11-21-2008

The Arkansas Highway Commission is getting serious about litter, voting to notify rural residents that if they do not remove wooden or metal trash bins from the side of the road, the homemade trash receptacles will be destroyed.

That action in response to a report from the Department of Highway and Transportation stating it spends almost $5.6 million annually picking up litter. The report blamed a large part of the problem on the homemade receptacles. The highway department is recommending residents use roll out style bins that can be moved back toward the home after trash is collected.

The familiar permanent trash bins now in use by many residents are often wrapped in wire or with lids to keep out animals.

Highway department employees have been instructed to slap stickers on the bins informing owners that the fixtures need to be removed or the containers will be destroyed. Residents have 30 days to take care of the problem and find another means of containing their trash.