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Influx of trash, debris in rural areas concerns Hubbard official
By Danny restivo
Hubbard
In an effort to keep the Hubbard Township clean, township trustee Fred Hanley is asking residents and visitors to clean up after themselves.
Hanley said there has been a recent influx of trash and debris thrown into rural areas along creeks and roads.
“The issue is we’re spending a lot of time cleaning up after people,” he said.
A major contributor to the problem is tires, which are thrown along rural roadsides, said Hanley.
He said the tires can block the road and force law enforcement to spend time clearing the debris.
Hanley wants residents to know the township offers a recycling program for unwanted tires at the administration building along Elmwood Drive.
According to a press release, “The city and township have a very aggressive and successful tire recycling program that collects about 4,000 tires a year.”
The program was created after the township received a $4,000 grant in April from the Trumbull County Solid Waste Management District, said Hanley. The grant was designed so area residents wouldn’t have an excuse for illegally dumping old tires, he said.
“I don’t know if people don’t care or if they don’t have the knowledge,” said Hanley.
He said most people in the township and city abide by the laws, and he believes most of the culprits are from commercial businesses outside the township. Hanley said some business owners don’t want to pay a fee for proper waste removal, so they decide to dump the tires in a rural area.
Along with the tires, local officials have found computers and other electronics that were dumped illegally along the road.
Hanley said that software is being reviewed by police for personal information so those responsible are held accountable.
Hanley has been a trustee since 1990, and has had to battle increases in illegal dumping several times before.
“This has always plagued us for whatever reason,” he said.