March 13, 2008

“Catawba County has a long history of beautification programs and efforts to remove trash from roadways,” said Amanda Kain, Catawba County’s Waste Reduction Coordinator and Educator. “We're an active participant in the State’s Adopt-A-Highway program, and we contract with the Community Service Program of the North Carolina Department of Corrections for manpower to help with collection of roadside litter. Despite our strong effort to keep roadsides clean, however, there are still those who fail to respect the beauty of our county.”

The special orange and blue bags will be available at the Catawba County Utilities and Engineering Office on the second floor of the Government Center in Newton; at the Cooperative Extension Office off Highway 321 Business in South Newton; at the North Carolina Department of Transportation's County Maintenance Office at 1302 Prison Camp Road between Newton and Maiden; and at Garbage Disposal Service's office at 4062 Section House Road in Hickory.

Everyone who brings the special orange and blue bags to the County's Blackburn Landfill, or one of the County's five convenience centers, will be able to dispose of the trash free of charge during Litter Sweep Weeks. Citizens may also call the North Carolina Department of Transportation's county maintenance office at 828-466-5519 to arrange for someone to come and pick up orange bags only. Those collecting recyclable items in blue bags will be responsible for making sure they are collected at curbside or taken to a convenience center.

The County’s five Convenience Centers are located at the Blackburn Landfill entrance, on Rocky Ford Road off Highway 10 west of Newton; on Lookout Dam Road in the Oxford Community; on Sherrills Ford Road; at the old Newton Landfill on Bethany Church Road; and in the Cooksville Community on Rhoney Farm Road. The Blackburn center is open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The Cooksville Center is open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. The Newton Center is open from 10 a.m. 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The Oxford and Sherrills Ford Centers operate from 10 a.m. 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

For more information on the upcoming Catawba County’s Litter Sweep Weeks, April 19-May 3, you may call the Department of Utilities and Engineering at 465-8217.