Volunteers urge awareness of litter issue in Riverhead

Jeanne Fallot, a member of Riverhead’s Anti-Litter Committee, takes frequent “litter-picking walks” around the neighborhood and she said it’s not uncommon for her walks to end with her carrying at least two full garbage bags of trash. 

Ms. Fallot, who lives off Roanoke Avenue, describes the litter she collects as “data” — from coffee cups, beer and liquor bottles and fast-food bags to Q-tips that can be used to used to clean drug paraphernalia — she said the litter shows “what people are up to” in the community. 

“It’s a visual pollution,” Ms. Fallot said. “If a town is clean, it doesn’t feel neglected — it shows that people care about the community.” 

Members of the Anti-Litter Committee compiled a 40-page list of properties in Riverhead where they noticed a significant litter. Members of the group regularly contacted the property owners to remind them to clean up and would monitor any progress. 

Ms. Fallot said she discovered roughly 40% of the properties were rentals. Additionally, the parking lots, many of the vacant properties and watersheds included on the list are owned by the town, she said.

Some other specific problem areas Ms. Fallot mentioned include a vacant lot on Cranberry Street owned by Eastern Suffolk BOCES, another vacant lot on Elton Street, parts of Polish Town, the Riverhead Cemetery across from Pulaski Street Intermediate School and some of the gas stations. Roanoke Avenue has also fallen victim to litter, she said. 

Ms. Fallot added that she has come across encampments used by homeless people in various areas in the town and shopping carts full of food and clothing. 

One challenge she noticed is there is not enough code enforcement in the town to address these issues. There are limited officers, but she said if they dedicated one day a week to addressing litter, it would make a difference.

Riverhead Town Councilman Bob Kern has served as the Anti-Litter Committee board liaison for two years and is responsible for helping the committee with their goals. He said litter is Riverhead is an ongoing issue but commends the diligent efforts of the committee.

To crackdown on the litter problem, Mr. Kern said the town has increased the fines for littering violations within the last year. 

The first change relates to the town code for littering and graffiti on private or public property, which was previously a minimum fine of $50 and a maximum fine of $250. According to the current town code, it is now a $250 minimum and a $1,000 maximum fine. The code also imposes a potential of up to 15 days in jail. 

For retail and commercial establishments, the maximum fine for the first offense significantly increased from $250 to between $1,000 and $1,500. The penalty for a second offense was raised from the maximum of $500 to between $1,500 and $2,500. For a third offense within an 18-month period, the fine went from a $1,000 minimum to between $2,500 and $3,500 minimum. 

This year, Riverhead Town officials implemented a shopping cart code, Mr. Kern said. In the past, he said highway department officers were picking up between 18 to 20 stray shopping carts a month.

Now, any shopping cart found in a public place can be removed by the town highway department and a $125 invoice can be sent to the designated cart owner for the removal, storage and return of the cart. 

In addition, any retail establishment located on Route 58, Route 25 and/or Route 25A must equip all shopping carts with an anti-theft wheel braking mechanism or any other theft protection system to prevent people from stealing them. 

Mr. Kern said he is working with committee members to get Riverhead High School students involved in their cleanup initiatives.

“Educating young people, I think, is really, really important,” Mr. Kern said. “We need to show younger kids what happens and how litter affects wildlife.”

Jim Meinecke, a member of the Riverhead Anti-Litter Committee, said with issues such as EPCAL, clean water issues in Manorville and the proposed Calverton warehouse project, the town has “a lot on their plate,” so the litter committee does not get much attention.

“If you look at what’s going on in this town, we’re not the most important thing on the top of the list for anybody, but it’s important for the people who are concerned about it,” Mr. Meinecke said. “The town supports us; we get a budget to buy some of the supplies we need, but it’s not a top priority in the town.” 

The Town of Southampton advised Mr. Meinecke on some of the strategies they implement to combat litter in their community. He said the highway department collaborates with local business owners and other volunteers to clean up certain areas at least once a month or as often as needed.

After the Southampton volunteers clean up, they call up their highway department to come pick up any trash bags, Mr. Meinecke said.

“We’d like to get a little bit more cooperation like that,” he said.

The Riverhead Anti-Litter Committee hosts an annual spring clean-up every April, around Earth Day — last year, there were over 200 volunteers of all ages. Mr. Meinecke agreed with Mr. Kern that younger people need to be encouraged to get involved. 

The Anti-Litter Committee and Riverhead Town officials are unveiling its Riverhead Fish Trash Receptacle at noon Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Iron Pier Beach in Jamesport. Designed by glass artist and sculptor Clayton Orehek, this four-foot by six-foot wire container is designed to encourage beachgoers to “feed the fish” by disposing their drink containers properly. 

With Election Day quickly approaching, members of the Riverhead Anti-Litter Committee believe the new leadership will aid in their goals to combat the litter problem. 

“I feel that our committee has made a lot of progress on the issue,” said Deborah Wetzel, chair of the Anti-Litter Committee. “I’m hopeful that whoever gets elected would make litter in the town a priority through a public awareness campaign.”