Trash on U.S. Highway 24, Woodmen Road, Meridian Road, etc., has increased over the past couple of years. Commercial parking lots in Falcon are sometimes scattered with empty plastic bags from Walmart or other retail stores. When the wind picks up, those plastic bags take flight.El Paso County officials, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the El Paso County Sheriffís Office responded to questions about how litter is handled in the county.Many years ago, inmates were used in localities or cities across America to assist or accomplish litter pickup. They have not done so for many years; however, CDOT does contract with the Center for Employment Opportunities to assist with trash collection efforts.Citizens and the general public who actually observe someone littering can report it to law enforcement ó 719-520-7100. If possible, get the license plate number if the trash is being thrown from a car, along with a description of the vehicle. If littering is observed on the Interstate or a U.S. Highway (like Highway 24), call CDOTís customer service hotline at 719-562-5568. If the litter is causing a safety issue, such as a ladder or large object in the roadway, call the Colorado State Patrol at 303-239-4500.Those plastic bags floating around in the parking lots or elsewhere are not the responsibility of any of the retail stores because the bags are provided to shoppers. At the risk of an altercation, when someone throws plastic, paper, or any other item on the ground, diplomatically draw it to their attention, or pick it up and dispose of it. (Or encourage people to use recycled bags!)CDOT encourages family, friends and acquaintances to help with mitigation. Itís not just individuals littering directly on the roadway, parking lot, or neighborhood. Winds can carry trash significant distances. Make sure trash cans and totes are secure. When hauling loose or light items and materials in a truck or trailer, ensure they are secure, tied down if required and covered, if necessary.The following information is from the Colorado Revised Statues on littering.Any person who deposits, throws, or leaves any litter on any public or private property or in any waters commits littering.The term ìlitterî as used in this section means all rubbish, waste material, refuse, garbage, trash, debris, or other foreign substances, solid or liquid of every form, size, kind and description.The phrase ìpublic or private propertyî as used in this section includes, but is not limited to, the right-of-way of any road or highway, any body of water or watercourse, including frozen areas or the shores or beaches thereof, any park, playground, or building, any refuge, conservation, or recreation area, and any residential, farm, or ranch properties or timberlands.Except as otherwise provided in sections 33-15-108(2) CRS and 42-4-1406 CRS., littering is a class 2 petty offense punishable, upon conviction, by a mandatory fine of a minimum of $20 or a maximum of $500 for the first conviction. On a second conviction, the fine is a minimum of $50 and a maximum of $1,000; subsequent convictions mandate a minimum of $100 and more than $1,000 in fines.
