Landfill to enforce Georgia Tarp Law
CALHOUN, Ga. - Customers arriving at the Redbone Ridges Landfill with unsecured or untarped loads will be assessed a $ 10- per- load surcharge, effective April 1, 2017.
The fee is designed to bring awareness to the amount of litter and debris being strewn along Pleasant Hill Road from vehicles that aren’t properly tarped.
“Litter being scattered along the roadside is increasing on a daily basis,” said Levi Higdon, regional superintendent for Santek Waste Services. “Not only is it a labor- intensive endeavor for employees to collect trash from three miles of roadway every day, but it’s becoming an eyesore to our neighbors who deserve more respect from landfill customers.”
According to Georgia law OCGA 40- 6- 248, “No person shall operate any motor vehicle with a load on or in such vehicle unless the load... is adequately secured to prevent the dropping or shifting of the load onto the roadway. Any person who operates a vehicle in violation of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”
In addition to being a source of litter, unsecured loads can be dangerous to other motorists, especially when traveling at high rates of speed.
“The speed limit on Pleasant Hill Road is 40 miles per hour,” said Higdon. “But the majority of drivers coming to the landfill drive much faster than that. When you combine litter with speed, it becomes a dangerous combination for our neighbors and employees.”
With residents securing loads before hitting Gordon County highways, County Administrator John King said he’s hopeful the avoidance of a surcharge will quickly become a monetary incentive for landfill customers.
“Gordon County is a beautiful place to live,” said King. “But, all too often, we take our surroundings for granted and cut corners for convenience. Litter blowing from unsecured vehicles creates a blight against our environment.”
Higdon said landfill personnel will warn drivers about the impending surcharge throughout the month of March, but come April 1, surcharges will be assessed all customers who arrive at the landfill with unsecured loads.
“We’ve tried talking to people about tarping their loads, but no one seems to take us seriously,” said Higdon. “We’re committed to maintaining a clean environment not only inside the landfill’s gate, but outside, too.”