[Durham INC] Durham Encourages Residents to "Swat-A-Litterbug"

[bragin at nc.rr.com]

Little known Durham ordinance: 
Durham Municipal Code of Ordinances, Chapter 26, Article 5, Section 26-121: 
 
"It shall be unlawful for any person selling goods, wares or merchandise of such 
nature that the purchasers thereof throw the containers or wrappers of such 
goods, wares or merchandise or portions of the goods, wares or merchandise 
themselves on the sidewalks, streets or other public ways of the city to allow 
such containers, wrappers or portions of such goods, wares or merchandise, or 
any part thereof, to remain thereon. Any person selling goods, wares or 
merchandise of such a nature shall also keep his or her premises clean and free 
from such containers or wrappers or portions of goods, wares and merchandise, so 
that the same will not be blown or otherwise transferred to the streets, 
sidewalks or other public ways." 
 
What that means, unless i hear otherwise from a city attorney, is that Durham 
law requires the folks who own the fast food restaurants to make sure their 
wrappers don't end up in our yards and on our streets, and the folks who own our 
quickie marts to make sure their coffee cups and beer cans don't end up there as 
well. 
 
No, i have absolutely no idea how anyone planned to enforce this ordinance. 
 
Barry Ragin 

---- "Blalock wrote: 

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Durham Police Department 

Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc.

 

 

Joint Media Advisory

 

 

For Immediate Release: June 28, 2010

 

For Details, Contact:

Kammie Michael

Public Information Officer

Durham Police Department

(919) 560-4322 x29195

Kammie.Michael at durhamnc.gov <mailto:Kammie.Michael at durhamnc.gov> 

 

Dorothea Pierce

Executive Director, Keep Durham Beautiful

(919) 354-2729

Dorothea at KeepDurhamBeautiful.org

 

 

 

Keep Durham Beautiful and Durham Police Encourage Residents to
"Swat-A-Litterbug"

 

DURHAM, N.C. - The next time you see someone litter, the Durham Police
Department (DPD) and Keep Durham Beautiful (KDB) want you to report it.

 

In a joint effort to encourage Durham residents to use the North
Carolina Department of Transportation's Swat-A-Litterbug program, the
DPD and KDB are reminding residents of the importance of reporting
litterbugs and protecting Durham's roadside environment.

 

"This program is a great way for people in Durham to show that they know
that litter is an important issue to the community and that it will no
longer be tolerated here," said DPD Deputy Chief Jim Bjurstrom.  "Our
department wants to ensure that people know about this NCDOT resource
and know how to use it."

 

The Swat-A-Litterbug Program is an educational effort administered by
the North Carolina Department of Transportation Office of Beautification
Programs.  Littering on North Carolina roadways has never been
acceptable behavior and the NCDOT feels that some people simply need to
be educated on the harmful effects of littering, whether deliberate or
unintentional.  

 

"Drivers who are reported via the Swat-A-Litterbug program receive a
formal notification signed by the colonel of the N.C. State Highway
Patrol.  We hope that this letter educates as well as reminds citizens
of their civic responsibility to protect the environment," said George
Kapetanakis with the NCDOT's Office of Beautification Programs.  "We are
really excited that both the Durham Police Department and Keep Durham
Beautiful recognize the importance of keeping our roadways clean and are
helping us spread the word about how people should report litterbugs."

 

"Our volunteers work so hard to pick up litter and make Durham look more
beautiful, so it's incredibly frustrating for them to see others
littering. This program gives that frustration an outlet and helps us
educate people at the same time," said KDB Executive Director Dorothea
Pierce. "I use the Swat-A-Litterbug website all the time."

 

License plate numbers, time, date and location of littering are all
necessary when reporting. To report a litterbug, call toll-free
1-877-DOT-4YOU (1-877-368-4968) or visit the DPD Website at 
www.durhampolice.com and click on the "litterbug" to link to the NCDOT's
online form.  Residents can also visit www.keepdurhambeautiful.org to
access the NCDOT's online form.

 

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