|
| Litter isn't just unsightly, unhealthy and wasteful; it's illegal! Numerous laws exist in Ohio to prohibit littering and illegal dumping. |
| |
| |
| |
| What is Litter? |
| Under Ohio law, litter is any trash thrown, discarded or dropped by a person onto public property, private property not owned by the individual, or into Ohio's waterways. The Ohio Revised Code prohibits littering, regardless of whether or not it was intentional. Littering is a serious offense, punishable by fines of up to $500 and 60 days in jail. There are many kinds of littering offenses; the following is a brief overview of Ohio's major litter laws. |
| |
| |
| |
| Littering and Illegal Dumping (ORC 3767.32) |
| Dumping waste, such as discarded trash, oil, appliances, scrap tires, furniture and other items, on private or public land and waterways is strictly prohibited by Ohio law. In addition to being unsightly, illegal dumps can pose health and safety hazards to people and wildlife. Ohioans must use licensed disposal facilities and insist that contracted waste haulers dispose of trash safely and legally. |
| |
| Dumping waste, such as discarded trash, oil, appliances, scrap tires, furniture and other items, on private or public land and waterways is strictly prohibited by Ohio law. In addition to being unsightly, illegal dumps can pose health and safety hazards to people and wildlife. Ohioans must use licensed disposal facilities and insist that contracted waste haulers dispose of trash safely and legally. |
| |
| |
| |
| Littering from a Motor Vehicle (ORC 4511.82) |
| Littering from a motor vehicle can result in fines of up to $100, depending upon the seriousness of the offense. For casual littering from motor vehicles, law enforcement officers can issue tickets, just as they do for other traffic violations. The driver of a motor vehicle can also be held responsible for litter discarded onto the roadway by passengers. |
| |
| |
| |
| Littering from a Watercraft Vessel (ORC 1547.49) |
| This law is similar to littering from a motor vehicle law. No operator or occupant of a vessel, regardless of intent, may discard or deposit litter in any Ohio waters. The operator of a watercraft vessel can also be held responsible for allowing litter to be dropped out of the vessel. |
| |
| |
| |
| Unsecured Load (ORC 4513.31) |
| This law requires vehicles transporting materials that could escape, leak or drop be designed to remain inside the vehicle at all times. In addition, vehicles loaded with garbage, solid waste or other unsanitary materials that are susceptible to blowing or bouncing out, cannot be driven unless their contents are sufficiently covered. Law enforcement officers do not have to witness the material falling from a vehicle in order to make an arrest. Exceptions to this law include farm vehicles transporting agricultural products and trash vehicles in the process of acquiring their loads. |
| |
| |
| |
| Law Enforcement is not enough to keep Ohio litter-free |
| The State of Ohio offers two excellent volunteer litter clean-up programs which provide Ohioans an opportunity to preserve the state's beauty. The "Adopt-A-Highway" program, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the "Adopt-A-Waterway" program, sponsored by ODNR, are volunteer programs that create working partnerships between state government and private citizens and organizations to keep Ohio's roads and waterways litter-free. |
| |
| |