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Tuesday, August 21, 2018

‘Like the Wild West’: Prince George’s continues to fight abandoned cars, litter

(Click on the image for Rachel Chason 's Washington Post report)
  • For decades, residents in Prince George’s have bemoaned litter in the county. For just as long, officials have tried to do something about it.
  • Incoming County Council member Jolene Ivey said litter and illegal dumping were two of the issues raised most often when she was door-knocking this campaign season.
    “People want to live in a place that makes them feel proud, and it’s hard to feel that way if you’re surrounded by litter and nasty old mattresses and couches.”
  • Adam Ortiz, director of the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment, said although he recognizes that improvements could be made in enforcement, county workers and community groups “are picking up more trash than we ever have before.”
  • But the county can do only so much, said Tiaa Rutherford, Prince George’s litter reduction program manager. There are 11 county employees charged with removing litter for the jurisdiction of nearly 1 million people, Rutherford said.
    “It’s not possible for us to do it all ourselves as the government,” Rutherford said. “Nor should that be our job. . . . We need community engagement.”