Melvin Mitchell, a representative on the N.C. Board of Transportation, rolled up his sleeves Thursday to pick up trash in Nash County where he lives. Mitchell joined eight N.C. Department of Transportation maintenance employees who did a litter sweep along Pridgen Road, south of Rocky Mount.
They fanned out wearing reflective vests, gloves and masks and tugging along orange bags. Their haul included bottles and cans, plastic bags, crumbled paper, tires and a mattress.
Mitchell, who joined the board last year, wanted to volunteer in the spring statewide Litter Sweep, which began April 10.
“Litter is so ugly to look at. It really distracts from how beautiful North Carolina is,” Mitchell said. “I’m glad so many volunteers from around the state are helping our department keep our roadways clean.”
This year, NCDOT crews, contractors and volunteers have picked up a combined 48,300 pounds of trash in Nash County through April 19.
The department’s Nash County maintenance yard chose this week to focus efforts on trash collection as part of the Litter Sweep initiative. They selected secondary routes, such as Pridgen Road, that have received a lot of complaints about trash accumulation.
Want to help?
It’s not too late for people to get involved. Visit this NCDOT page to learn more about Litter Sweep, which ends Saturday; people may also participate in the popular Adopt-A-Highway program.
People are reminded to follow these helpful tips:
Secure loads before driving.
Unsecured trash can fly from a vehicle and end up as roadside litter.
Hold onto trash until it can be disposed of properly.
Keep a litter bag in your vehicle, so you can properly dispose of trash later.
Recycle when possible. Recycling protects the environment, saves landfill space and keeps the community clean.
Johnston County has some of the laziest people on trying to get something done. I been trying to get them to take care of water standing in ditch in front of my farm for two years. But a employee can buy biscuits for everyone and they run out and install a new driveway and bring the driveway culverts.