Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
More than 650 pounds of litter was collected by 35 individuals at the Keep Kimball Beautiful cleanup held April 11. It was part of the Great American Cleanup campaign that was held in various locations throughout the country.
Keep Kimball Beautiful board members, staff and an amazing crew of 35 citizens swept through the community on Saturday, April 11, and collected over 650 pounds of litter which accumulated over the past year. The volunteers were assigned streets, alleyways or travel zones for litter removal and after a couple hours they filled the bed of the truck and a small trailer with over 60 bags of litter.
A large group collected a massive heap of litter from the southern part of town around the area where Interstate 80 intersects with Hwy. 71. Other groups collected litter and debris around the major retailers and employers in the community and noticed a significant increase in the litter which was collected around these areas. Beer bottles, drink cans, fast food packaging, plastic bags and cigarette butts were a significant percentage of the debris collected. One volunteer mentioned even having to pick up a dirty diaper.
Tobacco products comprise approximately 38 percent of all roadway, street and public space litter in the United States. On April 11, the volunteers collected over 250 cigarette butts on the empty Corner Bar lot alone, even though there are containers for the extinguished cigarettes to be collected by the bar owners and area businesses. Those collecting materials along the highways indicated there were many cigarette cartons added to the mix of debris they collected in the ditches.
Improperly secured containers for trash in the alleys contribute an alarming amount of debris, which Nebraska winds delight in making dance around.
Larissa Binod, KKB director, asks that residents make sure trash is bagged before it is thrown it in the dumpster.
"If you have ever seen the trash truck collecting the dumpsters of trash you would understand the importance of bagging all the trash, as the wind will catch anything light being deposited from the dumpster into the truck," she said.
"The Kimball CleanUp was an amazing accomplishment for all the volunteers who shared their Saturday morning. We all worked together to Keep Kimball Beautiful. Thank you and may this year bring prosperity and joy to all," Binod added.