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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The California Department of Transportation is hosting free dumping and litter cleanup events across Los Angeles County and statewide today for “Clean California Day.''
Between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., people can go to the Caltrans Maintenance Yard, at 609 Helitrope Drive in Hollywood, to dump at no cost their unwanted “junk'' and residential trash, including large items. Hazardous material and commercial loads will not be accepted, and each household is able to dump one load.
Staff with Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, as well as state, county and local officials, will also hold trash cleanup events from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at:
-- the southbound Hollywood (101) Freeway on-ramp at Melrose Avenue in Hollywood;
-- the southbound Harbor (110) Freeway, between 91st Street and West Colden Avenue, on South Flower Street in Los Angeles;
-- the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway off-ramp at Branford Street in Pacoima; and
-- 2598 South Garey Avenue in Pomona.
Trash cleanup events will also be held statewide, including at the Park and Ride Lot at Haaland Drive and South Rancho Road in Thousand Oaks.
The program is part of a $1.5 billion investment over three years to reduce trash. The “Clean California'' initiative includes investments in litter collection, community engagement and education to transform the state's roadsides. The program is expected to create 4,800 jobs, according to Caltrans.
“Clean California'' is also expected to remove 1.2 million cubic yards of trash. In 2020, Caltrans removed 267,000 cubic yards of trash, which is enough to fill 18,000 garbage trucks.
Caltrans also hopes to educate people about the litter and trash problem in the state, which increases the risk of fire, pollutes California's waterways, threatens wildlife and costs millions of dollars to remove. Instead of littering and illegally dumping, people are asked to dispose of their trash responsibly and secure their cargo loads before driving.
Those who litter can face tickets, as the California Highway Patrol issued more than 3,100 tickets last year, a third of which were for discarding lit cigarettes.
People can get more information about Clean California athttps://bit.ly/3qNZiI4.
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