materials or other items – such as furniture, mattresses and bags of
garbage – jostled out of a truck or trailer bed onto the highway? Or,
worse yet, has it ever happened to you, forcing you to stop and dodge
dangerous traffic to pick them up?
Every piece of debris that lands on the road poses a threat to the
environment and the people and vehicles around us. Furthermore, it's
illegal to haul an unsecured load. Materials that are blown, scattered
or spilled are considered litter, and penalties include a fine of up
to $2,000 and community service.
Don't place your loads at the mercy of fast speeds and stiff breezes.
Help make Mecklenburg roads safer, cleaner and greener by picking up a
free tarpaulin, courtesy of the North Carolina Department of
Transportation and the North Carolina chapter of Keep America
Beautiful, to secure your loads. Tarps are strong, flexible and water-
resistant, thereby protecting your possessions as well as fellow
motorists and the environment.
Volunteers from Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful and the Waste Management
Advisory Board will be on hand from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct.
10, 2009, to distribute free tarps at the North Mecklenburg Recycling
Center, 12300 N. Statesville Road, Huntersville, and West Mecklenburg
Recycling Center, 8440 Byrum Drive, Charlotte.
Tarps' retail price at home-improvement stores can range from about
$10 to more than $100, depending on size. Supplies of these free tarps
are limited, so come early to ensure you get your free tarp.
Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful coordinates countywide efforts to reduce
littering and empowers residents to take greater responsibility for
enhancing their environment and improving the quality of life in
Mecklenburg County. To learn more about the initiative, go to www.wipeoutwaste.com
.
