In an effort to combat litter, Iredell County Solid Waste is holding a tarp day on March 28.
Tarps will be given away to county residents with solid waste decals properly displayed on their vehicles.
The tarps will be available at the solid waste facility on Twin Oaks Road and at the convenience sites from 8 a.m. to noon and at the Mooresville transfer station from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Solid Waste Enforcement Officer Mike Kilpatrick will be inspecting solid waste transporters for decals and secure loads.
David Lambert, solid waste director, said he anticipates more trash coming into the landfill in the next few weeks because of the arrival of spring.
"It's the time of year again when we all want to get out of the house to do some spring cleaning," he said.
He said the problem arises when people just throw it on the back of a truck or trailer and head to the landfill or convenience center without securing the load.
The trash then blows off the truck or trailer and onto the roadside or into yards.
"All of this spilled waste is not necessary and can be prevented if we would only take a little more time securing our loads on the vehicle we are using," he said.
George Kapetanakis, of the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Beautification Programs, said it's a costly venture to pick up the 10 million pounds of litter from the state's highways each year.
He said littering costs the state about $16 million a year.
Lambert said those dollars can be used elsewhere if people would take the time to secure their loads.
State studies, he said, show that more than half of all of the roadside litter comes from the beds of pickup trucks hauling uncovered trash.
In Iredell County alone, the NCDOT removed 384,540 pounds of waste from the highways in 2008.
Lambert said there is a limit of one tarp per household, and supplies are limited.
Any questions about the tarp day or secured load requirements can call the landfill at (704) 878-5430.
Solid Waste locations
Main facility - 354 Twin Oaks Road. (704) 878-5430.
Mooresville Transfer Station - 151 W. Plaza Drive (704) 663-5314.
Harmony site - N.C. 901. (704) 539-5447.
Central site - 3918 Wilkesboro Highway. (704) 876-2666.
West site - 257 Watermelon Road. (704) 832-2316.
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