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St. Mary's County, Maryland
Est. 1637
Office Status: Normal
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Clean Community Program

Clean Community Programs take aim at neighborhood litter!

Clean communities have a better chance of attracting new businesses than those where litter is common. Litter is ugly and it is costly! So, how can citizens support a cleaner and litter free St. Mary’s County?

Clean Community Programs

Clean Community Programs are available to residents wanting to maintain and to enhance their neighborhood's appearance. Through the program, neighbors can address issues such as littering, junk filled yards, inoperative vehicles as well as poor community pride and image. These Programs are designed to help residents implement neighborhood-based initiatives to reduce such problems. A community's appearance reflects on everyone within the community. Right or wrong, an area's reputation and that of its residents can be harmed by the appearance of a single neglected or littered property. While everyone feels some degree of concern about litter and neglected neighborhood properties, very few people realize that it is a problem they can influence. This effort represents and encourages a program led and run by volunteers from within the community. However, the program is dependent upon neighborhood leadership for actual implementation and success. DPW&T representatives are available to support the communities, but true success will happen only with the efforts and work of the neighborhood. To set up your Program, please contact our Solid Waste Manager at (301) 475-4200.

Neighborhood Litter Critter Program

Through the DPW&T’s new 2001 Litter Critter Program, the Solid Waste & Recycling Divisions will park collection receptacles on your street on Friday, let you and your neighbors fill it up with garbage and debris over the weekend, then haul it away on Monday. The containers may be filled with just about anything, shy of appliances, tires and large amounts of commercial construction materials like sheet-rock and roofing materials. The Program is designed to be more customer friendly and give the homeowner more opportunity to plan. If a homeowner and several neighbors want to clean up a specific area, just a general clean-up of the neighborhood, they can call the Solid Waste Manager at (301) 475-4200.

Fall Clean-up Campaign

The Fall is a perfect time to pick-up, clean-up and spruce-up our community. It's also an opportunity to proudly proclaim your community pride and spirit. Join us in making St. Mary’s County a better, more beautiful place to live, work and play. Programs will be initiated this fall between OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 2001 - just give us a call.

Adopt-A-County-Road

If trash appears to be taking over your street, you and your neighbors don’t have to let it become an eyesore. Get together and clean it up and the DPW&T will haul it away for free. The Department provides safety vests, sticks, trash bags, safety signage and scheduled litter pick-up (optional) for community groups upon verbal or written request. Collected material will be picked up by County Highways crews at no charge. In October 1998, the Department began the "Adopt A County Road" Program. The first Adopt-A-Highway Program was started in Texas in March 1985. October 24, 1998 marked the tenth annual St. Mary’s County Community Service Day-individual volunteers, organizations, schools and businesses are encouraged to participate and become involved. For more information on this community initiative, visit our Adopt-A-Road Program web-site.

Litter Pick-up Program

The need for litter pick-up is based on routine field observation by our road crew foremen and requests from citizens. In general, the months of May through November are scheduled for these activities. Individuals may also submit a litter pickup request electronically, by filling out our on-line Maintenance Request Form. Due to budgetary constraints, the majority of the DPW&T efforts are seasonal and of lesser year-round priority than safety and other infrastructure maintenance needs. However, we do keep a listing of known "problem areas" which are scheduled on a more routine basis. The State Highway Administration and Recreation & Parks Department are allowed to deposit trash they have collected at the St. Andrews Landfill Facility at no charge.

Join the Clean Team

On July 1, 2001, the DPW&T will launch the CLEAN Team, a new program that will allow concerned citizens like you to report litterbugs. Although, motorists and pedestrians are often blamed for litter, they actually account for less than half of all litter. That’s still a lot of trash. The DPW&T, on behalf of the Health Department, Permits & Inspections, County Sheriff's Department and Commissioners of St. Mary's County, will issue a warning letter to the offender, along with other information about litter. Your name will NOT be used in any communications with the offender. CLEAN Team participants will receive a special car decal as thanks for a job well done!

This checklist can help you plan and hold a Clean Community Program Event.

Plan

  • Survey the areas to be included in the cleanup effort to determine manpower and equipment needs
  • Determine the date and time of the effort (Rain date also)
  • Set a location for participants to meet the day of the cleanup
  • Contact the DPW&T to arrange a waste container
  • Consider distributing flyers to community residents
  • Make special arrangements with a commercial hauler, if needed. Organize (Day of or Prior to Event)
  • Divide the areas into smaller parts that can be managed by small crews
  • Organize crews and appoint crew leaders
  • Assign cleanup locations
  • Distribute safety information and require all crews to review the info
  • Distribute trash bags and any other cleanup equipment
  • Announce any special information Conclusion
  • Acknowledge/recognize those who assisted/participated in the effort
  • Call DPW&T for pick-up of the waste collection container(s)