QUEENS COUNTY – A group of people from Queens County concerned about littering is working to raise awareness in the area.
The litter abatement group had a traffic stop by Guy’s Frenchys on Main Street Jan. 19. Coun. Heather Kelly, who represents District 2 for the Region of Queens Municipality, says more than 150 cars stopped. There was “great feedback and interest,” she added.
During the stop, the group handed out car garbage bags and information concerning where people can take garbage, such as old electronics.
“It went very well. People are very receptive to it,” said Coun. Jack Fancy about the recent traffic stop.
He says the group is working with the Liverpool Tim Hortons and McDonald’s to address the littering problem locally. Both businesses offer discounts to customers who have travel mugs for their drinks. If customers take their travel mugs to Liverpool’s McDonald’s, they’ll be charged the price of a small coffee.
“I’d says 75 per cent of what I’m seeing on the road is coffee mugs,” said Fancy.
The group plans to continue to do traffic stops in the other districts in the county as well. Fancy said those involved would also like to determine what age groups seem to be littering the most and work towards finding ways to address it.
Fancy says the two biggest problems in Queens County seem to be illegal dumping and littering.
Group members are reminding drivers if they see illegal dumping or littering to report it.
“Don’t just get disgusted about it, report it,” Fancy said.
Although Fancy is a Region of Queens councillor, he chose to become part of the littering education initiative as a community member and not as a councillor. He spoke about the litter abatement group at the regular council meeting Jan. 23.
“This is non-region, non-council. This is a concerned group,” he said.
The idea behind the group is to provide awareness and to educate the public.
Group members plan to propose a cleanup day to council and people in Queens County sometime in May.
