EXTRA, EXTRA/Groups ask drivers to look out for litter
Drivers in Franklin County, Ohio, are being asked to rat on their fellow motorists if they see them littering. The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) launched a six-month advertising campaign in August that features six billboards and advertisements on 24 transit buses urging people to call a 24-hour hotline if they see trash thrown out of vehicles. The hotline records the make of the vehicle, license plate number, location of the offense, time of day and what was littered. The SWACO-funded Environmental Crimes Unit of the Franklin County Sheriff’s office tracks the license plates and sends the vehicle owners warning letters. It also follows up on illegal dumping reports and prosecutes if necessary. “We want people to know they can do something when they see littering,” says SWACO Executive Director Mike Long.
