Knox County Tennesee

• An average mile of highway contains about 16,000 pieces of litter. Knox County has about 2,000 miles of roadway.
• It takes 15 years for a cigarette filter to decompose, 20 years for a Styrofoam cup and 100 years for a soda can.
• Only 20 percent of litter comes from careless motorists and pedestrians. Most comes from uncovered truckloads, unsecured business dumpsters, construction sites, loading docks and from bags and uncovered cans left at the street.

Knox County Ordinance 96-4-101 makes it unlawful to throw trash onto the ground, allow trash to blow out of a moving vehicle or leave trash in places not designated for regular trash pickup. It is everyone's responsibility to maintain control of their trash so that it does not become litter. The penalty for littering or illegal dumping is up to $1,000 plus court costs.

First, if you see someone in the act, get a complete description including vehicle make, model and color, tag number, location and time of day. Call Knox County Solid Waste at 215-JUNK (5865). A Litter Codes officer will cite the alleged offender to court based on your testimony. To make a case stick, you must be willing to be a witness in court.

An alternative to court is a warning ticket sent by mail to the alleged offender.

Knox County has a full-time litter crew that works with the State Office of Probation to pick up litter on County Roads. Knox County also oversees a Drunk Driver litter program that collects litter on State Highways and state-aid roads, roads that connect state highways. To request a litter pickup, call the Solid Waste Office at 215-JUNK (5865).

If you are a member of a business, civic club, church or any other organization (including family), you can "Adopt-A-Road." Just submit a form and agree to pick up litter at least twice a year along a section of road in Knox County. The County will provide the bags, safety vests, gloves, litter pickers and warning signs. After your first collection day, Knox County will pick up the bags along the roadside and will place permanent signs at each end of your work area identifying your adoption.