Executive Committee Members Decry Roadside Litter, Call for Action Against Garbage Haulers

Article Summary: Will County Executive Committee members expressed frustration over what they described as a worsening problem of litter blowing from garbage trucks across the county. Members called for better enforcement against haulers and more robust cleanup efforts, particularly on roads near the county landfill.

Roadside Litter Discussion Key Points:

• Members described seeing garbage, including styrofoam and other debris, continuously blowing out of uncovered or poorly secured trucks.

• Suggestions included using community service workers for cleanup, notifying all haulers of their responsibility, and increasing enforcement from the Sheriff’s Office.

• A letter has already been sent to haulers contracted with the county landfill, but members believe the problem is more widespread.

JOLIET, IL – A discussion about roadside debris near the Will County Landfill broadened into a county-wide call to action Thursday, as Executive Committee members demanded that garbage haulers be held accountable for litter-strewn roads.

Board member Daniel J. Butler initiated the discussion, describing a persistent problem. “There’s a lot of garbage. It’s all over the roads,” Butler said. “I was next to a garbage truck and all the garbage blowing out of it was just kept coming out… I feel like we have to get this garbage picked up somehow.”

Other members from rural and suburban districts echoed his concerns. “I pick up garbage on my road every single week because garbage is blowing out of their garbage trucks,” said Judy Ogalla. “These bigger groups are just negligent.”

The board discussed several potential solutions. Public Works & Transportation Committee Chair Jackie Traynere suggested coordinating with the court system to assign individuals with community service requirements to cleanup crews, a model used by the state on expressways. Ogalla urged staff to identify all haulers operating in the county and notify them of their responsibility to secure their loads.

While a letter was recently sent to haulers contracted with the Will County Landfill directing them to prevent waste from escaping, members said the issue persists and involves trucks traveling to other landfills as well. Member Ogalla suggested involving the Will County Sheriff’s Office to increase enforcement. Staff was directed to investigate what actions the county could legally take to address the problem.