ONE MAN'S CRUSADE TO FIGHT LITTER IN LEE COUNTY VIRGINIA
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This story is taken from a WCYBTV 5 new program.
The story follows:
UNSIGHTLY TRASH ON THE ROADWAYS IS MORE THAN A NUISANCE. IT'S AGAINST THE LAW. NEWSCENTER FIVE'S LEE ANNE LILLARD HAS MORE ON ONE MAN'S CRUSADE TO FIGHT LITTER IN LEE COUNTY VIRGINIA.
Keith Banks is on litter patrol... scouring the streets for tossed trash and illegal dumps.
The Lee county, Virginia litter co-ordinator is making litter his life by eliminating trash from our region's roadways.
(keith banks)
"Everything that winds up in the road eventually winds up in the water system and so if we're going to protect our most vital resources which is our environment then we have to fight litter."
His dedication to promoting a clean enviroment has earned him region-wide recognition...
Banks recently received honors from VA Governor Jim Gilmore for singlehandly writing more litter citations than West Virginia and Kentucky combined.
(banks)
"It's not just me it's everyone in Lee county chipping in I think it's great."
Lee county's litter problems center on accessability.
Rural, isolated roads offer litterbugs plenty of places to dump trash. This illegal dump is just one of 42 known dumps in the county.
(lee anne)
"Even the smallest amount of trash adds up...Each year officials collect about 2 1/2 tons of trash from each mile of roadway."
(keith banks)
"When they toss out a piece of paper what I would like them to remember is that somebody has to pick that paper up."
Stiff penalties ranging from 25 to 200 dollar fines and community service await those who decide to toss their trash..
Banks hopes that with education and community involvement..Lee county can have a litter-free future.
(banks) "That's the only way we're going to clean it up is everybody working together."
In Lee county VA Lee Anne Lillard Newscenter Five.""
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I hope that Dickenson County will someday be united against LITTER.