Snellville program’s aim: cleaner community

Several groups have adopted roads to clean up, mayor pro tem says.

Snellville Clean and Proud is hosting a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, to share how the program can make the city cleaner.

The program, created by Mayor Pro Tem Dave Emanuel, has resulted in two official cleanup dates collecting nearly 40 bags of litter on Oak Road. Other groups have joined the effort, including a recent cleanup effort by the South Gwinnett High School softball team.

“The program has gotten off to a good start with several groups adopting roads and others in the process of selecting a road,” Emanuel said. “I’ve also found that quite a few individuals regularly pick up litter. Some go out specifically for that purpose; others do it while out walking their dogs.”

In addition to being unsightly, litter can create blockages in stormwater systems, pollute soil and waterways, become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and cause injury or death to animals that ingest discarded objects or are cut by sharp objects.

“Litter is often thought of as harmless pieces of paper, but when you go out and clean up a road, you find a surprising variety of things,” Emanuel said. “When we cleaned Oak Road, we found nuts, bolts, screws, nails, bottles, tires and some items that are better left unmentioned. Many of these items aren’t merely unsightly, they’re potential hazards.”

In addition to Emanuel, Gwinnett County Solicitor Brian Whiteside will be on hand at the meeting to discuss the steps he’s taking to prevent illegal dumping in the city. Snellville police Chief Roy Whitehead will explain the city’s code enforcement policies and procedures and options available to people cited for violations.