10/12/04 — Duplin waived tipping fees for clean up

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Duplin waived tipping fees for clean up

By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on October 12, 2004 1:59 PM

The Duplin County commissioners waived the tipping fees for cleanup projects for the Big Sweep, and 235 residents took advantage of the deal.

They delivered over 106 tons on Oct. 2, including 30 tons of garbage, 40.5 tons of construction debris and furniture and nearly 30 tons of yard debris.

They also delivered 6.8 tons of tires and 7.2 tons of scrap metals. There is not a charge for tires or scrap metals any day.

New to this year's cleanup was an Ugly Furniture Contest, and $100 and $50 cash prizes were awarded to the owners of the ugliest furniture brought in for disposal during the cleanup.

Free disposal and a chance to win made the contest very inviting, said Teresa Quinn of Keep America Beautiful.

"The only challenge was getting the nerve to ask people if they wanted to enter, without offending their taste in home furnishings," she said.

The Duplin County Keep America Beautiful Committee donated the prize money.

Busy at the river cleaning up was Boy Scout Troop 47 from Beulaville. The Scouts, parents, brothers and sisters turned out to pick up 28 bags of trash and 14 tires.

They also found an old toilet, half a recliner, what was perhaps a grill, a desk and plenty of bottles and cans. This is the second year the Boy Scouts have cleaned up at Hallsville.

"This human-made debris, trash and litter harms the environment and wildlife, threatens human health and safety, causes communities to lose money," said Ms. Quinn. "And looks bad."