EXCELLENCE AND LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

ñ■ HELLO AND WELCOME TO LPB.

I AM BETH COURTNEY, CEO OF LPB.

JOINING ME TONIGHT IS BARRY ERWIN, CEO OF THE COUNCIL FOR A BETTER LOUISIANA.

THANKS, BETH.

AS ALWAYS IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

IF YOU WERE TO LOOK INTO THE ORIGINS OF THE WORD "LITTER," YOU DESCRIBE IT IS DERIVED FROM THE WORD FOR "BED."

LIKE STRAW AND HAY THROWN DOWN AS BETTING FOR PETS.

IT WASN'T A GREAT LEAP TO ENCOVER TRASH THAT COVER OUR ROADS AND CHOKE OUR WATERWAYS.

THIS IS TRULY A BED THAT WE HAVE MADE AND NOW HAVE TO LIE IN.

OVER 80% OF LITTER IS INTENTIONAL.

CIGARETTE BUTTS, PLASTIC BOTTLES, AND BAGS TOSSED BY PEDESTRIANS AND DRIVERS.

IT'S ALSO COSTLY.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT LOUISIANA TAXPAYERS SPEND $40 MILLION ANNUALLY ON LITTER REMOVAL AND ENFORCEMENT.

TONIGHT WE WILL EXAMINE THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM AND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AND RESIDENTS IN COMBATING IT.

WE START WITH THE STORY FROM THE CAPITAL CITY TO SEE HOW TRASH MAKES ITS WAY INTO OUR WATERSHED.

HIDDEN AMONG THE 440 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE AT LSU'S BERGEN GARDEN IS AN 81-TON EYE SORE.

THE LARGE E-HOT SPOT IS ABOUT AN ACRE OF ACCUMULATION OF AQUATIC TRASH.

THOSE AREAS ARE MOSTLY STYROFOAM AND PLASTIC BOTSES.

OTHER AREAS SUCH AS THIS MIND ME IS A MIXTURE OF ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT FLOATS.

JEFF FEE KEENY OVERSEAS THE BOTANICAL GUARDEN.

HE SAYS THE LITTER HAS COLLECTED OVER 50 YEARS AND IS NEARLY 20 FEET DEEP.

WHEN I CAME OUT HERE 10 YEARS AGO AS DIRECTOR, I REALLY WALKED THE PROPERTY AND STARTED RESEARCHING IT.

WHAT IS THIS PROPERTY ABOUT?

AND WHEN I WALKED OUT HERE AND SAW ALL THIS LITTER, I ARE THOUGHT, OH, MY GOD, IF WE DUMP THIS BACK HERE, AND AFTER I INVESTIGATED FURTHER, I REALIZED THAT THIS DIDN'T COME FROM LSU@i OR MY STAFF.

THIS CAME FROM THE PEOPLE OF BATON ROUGE.

THIS 30-ACRE WETLANDS IS CONNECTED TO WARD CREEK.

AND WARD CREEK IS THE MARRIAGE ARTERY THAT DRAINS MOST OF THE STORM WATER OUT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

RAIN EVENTS CARRY TOSSED LITTER INTO STORM DRAINS.

THE WATER THEN TRAVELS INTO THE WETLANDS LEAVING TRASH HIPPED AS IT RECEDES.

IT'S NOT ONLY AN ESTHETICS ISSUE BUT AN ECONOMIC ONE.

THE LITTER CAN TRIGGER FLOODING LIE THE CITY SAW IN 2016.

AND SO A WETLANDS, INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO HOLD WATER, EVENTUALLY COLLECTS SOIL AND LAYERS OF AQUATIC TRASH, AND SO THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TAKE IN ALL OF THAT STORM WATER THAT THEY NATURALLY WERE ABLE TO MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

KEENY SAID -- KUEHNY SAYS THE PROGRAM WHICH ALL CITIES MUST FILE WITH THE FEDS, HASN'T ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN FAYING CARE OF IT PROPERLY FOR MANY YEARS.

THIS IS EVIDENCE OF IT.

THE EPA KNOWS ABOUT IT AND NOW DEQ IS INVOLVED IN IT, TOO.

THE CITY HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

NOT JUST FOR OUR LOCAL POPULATION BUT IT'S BEING MANDATED.

HE POINTS TO LAFAYETTE AS A SUCCESS STORY FOR ITS HANDLING OF BAYOU VERMILLION.

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A MILLIONAGE THAT'S ELECTED THAT KEEPS THAT TRASH OUT OF THEIR BAYOUS.

AND SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF@y WHAT WE NEED TO DO ACROSS THE STATE, JUST EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THAT WE CAN'T THROW OUT OUR CANS AND OUR PLASTIC BOTSES.

IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE EQUIPMENT PLACED IN OUR WETLANDS, OUR CANALS AND OUR CHANNELS, IN ORDER TO REMOVE THAT LITTER OUT OF OUR WETLANDS.

AND PREVENT IT FROM CREATING ISSUES LIKE WE HAVE HERE.

WOW.

THAT'S AMAZING.

JOINING US IN THE STUDIO TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF LOUISIANA'S LITTER PROBLEM IS OUR FIRST PANEL.

SUSAN RUSSELL IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KEEP LOUISIANA BEAUTIFUL.

STEPHANIE RIEGEL IS THE EDITOR OF THE BATON ROUGE REPORT AND REPORTED ON THE CAPITAL CITY'S LITTER ISSUES AND MARK BENFIELD IS WITH THE LSU DEPARTMENT OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND COASTAL SCIENCES.

HE THANKS, EVERYBODY, TO JOINING US AND REALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH IT US.

SUSAN, HOW DOES LOUISIANA'S LITTER PREVENTION STACK UP TO OTHER STATES?

AND WHAT MORE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE US DO HERE IN LOUISIANA?

WELL, BARRY, THE TRUTH IS, WE REALLY DO NOT HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE STRATEGY.

AND THAT IS REALLY WHY WE'RE IN THE PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE FACE NOW.

AND SO WHEN YOU THINK OF HOW EXPANSIVE THIS PROBLEM IS, IT DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE.

IT'S IN EVERY PARISH IN OUR STATE.

IT AFFECTS ALL 4.7 MILLION CITIZENS.

IT'S IN RURAL AREAS.

IT'S A PROBLEM FOR LARGE CITIES.

BLACK, WHITE, YOUNG, OLD, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

IT AFFECTS US ALL.

SO WHEN YOU THINK OF SOMETHING THAT IS THAT DETRIMENTAL TO OUR STATE, WHEN IT AFFECTS OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND GROWTH, AND TOURISM AND WILDLIFE AND MARINE LIFE.

AND I CAN GO ON AND ON.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT IS REALLY NOT BEING ADDRESSED THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

WE REALLY NEED OUR STAKEHOLDERS ALL TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE LITTER ABATEMENT PLAN.

AND WE NEED INPUT FROM OUR EDUCATORS, FROM ENFORCEMENT, FROM OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OUR STATE GOVERNMENT.

CROSS SECTION OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO SIT DOWN AND DO THE HARD WORK THAT'S NEEDED TO CREATE A STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT.

WE HEAR ABOUT LITTER HOT SPOTS.

COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH LITTER HOT SPOTS SUM.

HOT SPOTS IN EVERY COMMUNITY YOU ARE GOING TO FIND ON ROADWAYS, YOU U-TURNS.

YOU ARE GOING TO FIND THEM WHEREVER WIND AND RAIN WILL BLOW LITTER.

AT THE END OF DEAD-END STREETS WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T WATCHING.

NAWMS HAS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH DUMPING BECAUSE IT'S AN AREA THAT NOBODY WATCHES.

AND LITTER BEGETS LITTER AND SO DOES DUMPING AND SO IT STARTS THERE.

IF IT'S NOT REMOVED QUICKLY, ALMOST OVERNIGHT IT SEEMS, IT BECOMES A HUGE HOT SPOT.

RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THE STATE SPENDS OVER $40 MILLION ON LITTER ABAINTMENT.

DOTD SPENDS $8 MILLION ON PICKING UP THE ROADWAY AND OUR STATE IS STILL LITTERED.

THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE LIKE IF WE FOCUSED THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON PREVENTATIVE MEASURES INSTEAD OF PICKING UP LITTER?

I GUESS WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT.

STEPHANIE, YOU WROTE A BIG COVER STORY HIGHLIGHTING ONE OF THE THINGS WE JUST SAW IN THE VIDEO WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING THAT LOOKED LIKE THAT ON THOSE PROPERTIES.

TELL ME ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR REPORTING, PARTICULARLY HERE IN BATON ROUGE, THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM.

WHAT WE COVERED IN THE STORY AND WHAT I REALLY FOUND OUT WAS THAT THERE WERE SO MANY PRONGS, RABBIT HOLES YOU CAN GO DOWN ABOUT THIS.

AS SOON SASS MENTIONED, WE DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LITTER ABATEMENT STRATEGY.

WE DON'T HAVE A CULTURE IN LOUISIANA AND CERTAINLY NOT HERE IN BATON ROUGE LITTER HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OR EVEN SOMETHING IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE PUBLIC MIND.

WE DON'T HAVE ENFORCEMENT CERTAINLY IN BATON ROUGE AND CITY LEADERS SAY ICE VERY DIFFICULT TO CATCH DUMPERS AND LITTERERS IN THE ACT.

THAT CAN'T BE AN EXCUSE.

OTHER PLACES THEY DO IT.

PEOPLE HERE DON'T RECYCLE IN GREAT ENOUGH NUMBERS.

AND THEY DON'T BAG THEIR TRASH PROPERLY.

AND THAT ALSO CREATES OR CAN ADD TO THE PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT THE SOLE REASON BUT IT ADDS TO THE PROBLEM.

AND THEN BEYOND THAT, THE LITTER THAT DOES GET INTO THE WATERSHED, WE DON'T HAVE THE ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT TO CATCH IT.

THERE ARE SOMETHING LIKE 250 CANAL OUTFALLS THAT DUMP INTO THE WATERSHED IN BATON ROUGE.

WE ONLY HAVE BOONS OR LITTER CATCHING EQUIPMENT AT THREE OF THEM.

THEY'RE ALL PRETTY NEAR LSU.

AND YOU SAW A PICTURE OF IT ON THE VIDEO THERE.

IT'S JUST LIKE A BIG SIEVE.

IT CATCHES RIRT AND YOU HAVE TO CLEAN IT OUT.

THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AT THE ROOT.

BUT AT LEAST KEEPS IT FROM GETTING FURTHER DOWNSTREAM.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING IN BATON ROUGE THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

AND BEYOND THAT, WE DON'T HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE TO BUY THAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT, EVEN IF THERE WAS THE COLLECTIVE WILL TO GO AHEAD AND PURCHASE AND INSTALL IT AND MAINTAIN IT.

SO I MEAN, IT'S A MESSAGING ISSUE.

IT'S TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR.

AND IT'S ALSO A FUNDING AND RESOURCE ISSUE.

SOMEBODY FROM STATE GOVERNMENT OR CITY GOVERNMENT REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE THE LEAD AND SAY, WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN.

WE NEED TO BUY THIS EQUIPMENT.

WE NEED TO FUND THE PURCHASE OF THIS EQUIPMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE.

AND IT'S NOT TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOLVING SOME INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEM.

OTHER PLACES HAVE SHOWED US HOW TO DO IT.

IT'S NOT CHEAP.

IT'S NOT FREE.

BUT IT'S DOABLE AND IT'S MANAGEABLE AND THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WE FOUND IN THE REPORTING.

BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE.

AND IT HASN'T BEEN SO FAR.

IT'S NOT -- THE ADMINISTRATION'S FAULT.

THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT GOES BACK.

LIKE JEFF SAID IN THE VIDEO, IT'S 50 YEARS WORTH OF TRASH IN THAT LOW-LYING WET LANDS AT BURDEN.

WE LET IT ACCUMULATE AND DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE THE WILL TO REALLY ADDRESS IT.

DR. BENFIELD, I WANT TO TURN TO YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEGUN DOING SOME RESEARCH IN AN AREA OF LITTER THAT'S REPRESENTED TO THE PANDEMIC AND COVID.

I WONDERED IF YOU COULD TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THAT.

PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, IF YOU WALKED DOWN THE STREET, ANYWHERE IN LOUISIANA, YOU WOULD FIND WATER BOTTLES AND PLASTIC BAGS AND STYROFOAM CLAM SHELLS AND CUPS.

SINCE THE PANDEMIC THAT'S CHANGED.

WE HAVE ADDED A COMPLETELY NEW CLASS OF WHATAWAY WE CALL PPE WASTE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FAST MASKS, RUBBER GLOVES, SANITIZING WIPES, HAND SANITIZER BOTTLES, THE PACKAGING FOR ALL THOSE PRODUCTS.

AND THEN AS THE PANDEMIC HAS PROGRESSED WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THINGS LIKE NASAL SWABS.

I FOUND PARTS OF A COAFERREDZ TEST KIT.

SO THERE'S A MYRIAD OF COMPLETELY NEW NON-DEGRADABLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS THAT ARE BEING PUT OUT THERE.

AND WE'RE FINDING A LOT OF TRENDS THAT ARE INTUITIVE ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OTHER SORTS EVER LITTER.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PRODUCT SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO ITS ABUNDANCE ON THE STREETS.

THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WE DIDN'T HAVE MASKS AVAILABLE WIDELY IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND SO WE DIDN'T SEE MASKS ON THE STREET.

AND THEN WIPES JUST CONTINUE TO INCREASE.

WE DID A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH THE CEO OF CLOROX.

IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 2019 THEY PRODUCED 1 MILLION CANNISTERS OF COLOR REACTION WIPES.

THIS YEAR JUST LAST WEEK SHE SAID THEY ARE NOW UP TO 1.5 MILLION CANNISTERS A DAY.

MAN, THAT'S A BIG CHANGE.

SINCE YOU HAVE STUDIED THIS PROBLEM GLOBALLY, WHAT DO YOU SEE IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS IT?

DO WE SEE ANY POSITIVE EXAMPLES OR MODELS OUT THERE?

YEAH, WE DO.

ALL THE COUNTRIES WE HAVE LOOKED AT ARE IN THE SAME BOAT.

THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO DEAL WITH THIS AMOUNT OF LITTER.

AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY SUCCEEDING.

ONE INTERESTING OUTLIER AND THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT SUSAN SAID IS THAT LITTER BEGETS MORE LITTER.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE TRASH CANS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A READY PLACE TO DISPOSE OF THIS STUFF, THEN, IT'S GOING TO ACCUMULATE.

AND PEOPLE SEE IT ON THE GROUND, THEY'RE GOING TO THINK, WELL, SOMEONE ELSE DID IT SO I CAN PUT IT OUT THERE, TOO.

THE CITY OF SHE KNOW GENERAL IN CHINA, ONE OF OUR DATA SITES IS FROM A SUBURB CALLED UNIVERSITY TOWN THERE.

IT'S ABOUT SIX CAMPUSES ALTOGETHER.

I ASKED MY COLLEAGUE TO DO A SURVEY THERE.

AND SHE CAME BACK AND SAID SHE DIDN'T FIND ANY PPE WASTE.

AND I ASKED HER WHY.

SHE SAID, WELL, OUTSIDE EVERY BUILDING ON THE CAMPUS AND REGULARLY LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS ARE DEDICATED PPE DISPOSAL BINS.

AND SO PEOPLE USE THEM.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THERE ISN'T OTHER TRASH THERE, BUT THEY CERTAINLY ARE USING THESE DISPOSAL BINS.

I THINK THAT'S A MODEL FOR US.

THAT EVERY MEGAMALL, EVERY BOX STORE, EVERY STRIP MALL SHOULD HAVE THESE DISPOSAL SITES ALLOCATED RIGHT OUTSIDE SO THE CUSTOMERS LEAVING THE STORE HAVE A READY PLACE TO DISPOSE OF THE STUFF.

SUSAN, LET ME TURN BACK TO YOU.

I UNDERSTAND THE KEEP LOUISIANA BEAUTIFUL OFFERS CLASSROOM RESOURCES.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL OUR VIEWERS HOW TEACHERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CLASSROOM?

SURE.

WE WERE JUST IN BATON ROUGE THIS SATURDAY.

AND WE DID AN IN-PERSON TEACHER WORKSHOP.

AND WE TRAINED THE TRAINER IN A SENSE WHERE WE BRING THE TRAINERS IN AND DO OUR WORKSHOP SO THEY CAN BRING IT INTO THE CLASSROOM.

BUT WE HAVE 10 LESSON PLANS FOR K-5.

AND IT ALIGNS WITH THE STUDENT STANDARDS.

WE ALSO HAVE 20 ACTIVITY SHEETS.

THEY'RE FULL OF RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS.

THEY'RE ALL FREE AND CAN BE DOWNLOADED ON OUR WEBSITE WHICH IS KEEPLOUISIANABEAUTIFUL.ORG.

AND WE ENSURGE THE TEACHERS TO BRING THIS INTO THE CLASSROOM AND TEACH IT BECAUSE EDUCATION IS SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF THIS.

WE NEED TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.

WE NEED TO GET IT TO THEM AT A YOUNG AGE AND TEACH THEM HOW TO BE GOOD COMMUNITY CITIZENS AND HOW TO BE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS.

AND THE KIDS LOVE THIS.

THEY REALLY EMBRACE IT.

SOMETIMES IT'S THE ADULTS THAT WE HAVE THE HOTTEST -- HARDERS TIME WITH.

THERE'S NOT ONE SOLUTION TO THIS AS WITH ALL MENTIONED, EDUCATION IS A PIECE.

ENFORCEMENT IS A PIECE.

THERE'S ALSO THE ROLE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

LIKE TO MARK'S POINT, TRANSITION POINTS ARE BESIDES ROADSIDES, THE PLACE WHERE MOST PEOPLE WILL LITTER.

CAN WE PASS ORDINANCES THAT REQUIRE BUSINESSES TO HAVE TRASH AND ASH RECEPTACLES AT POINTS WHEN PEOPLE ENTER THE STORE AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO LITTER?

THERE'S ROLES FOR PARISHES AND MUNICIPALS.

WE HAVE A GRANTS PROGRAM.

WE HAVE AWARDED OVER $3 MILLION OF GRANTS THROUGH THE YEARS TO NON-PROFITS, MUNICIPALITIES AND PARISHES TO HELP THEM BUILD CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

ONE OF OUR GRANTS PROVIDES TRASH RECEP THAT CULLS.

WE KNOW THEY ARE EXPENSIVE AND WE ALSO KNOW WHEN THE TRASH RECEP TACKLE IS THERE, TO MARK'S POINT, THERE'S A REDUCTION OF 52% OF LITTER.

SO THEY WORK.

WE HAVE HAD SOME MUNICIPALITIES THAT WON'T EVEN APPLY FOR THE GRANT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE LABOR TO SERVICE THEM.

SO THAT'S WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FUNDING, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PICKING UP THE LITTER OFF THE GROUND AND RESOLVE -- WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

THIS IS VERY DEEP AND IT NEEDS TO BE APPROACHED ON MULTI-LEVELS.

AND WE NEED EVERYONE AT THE TABLE.

AND I KNOW EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR THIS BUT IT'S TRUE.

IT TAKES MONEY.

BUT TO MY POINT, SHOULD WE BE SPENDING MONEY ON THE BACK END?

OR WOULD IT BE SMARTER FOR US TO SPEND IT ON THE FRONT END?

GOOD QUESTION.

AND ACTUALLY, IED TO TURN TO STEPHANIE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DISCUSSED IN YOUR REPORTING WAS ABOUT OUR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

AND ACTUALLY, ALL THE CITIES NEED TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY CONSEQUENCES, BIG FRNL CONSEQUENCES IF WE FIND OURSELVES OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THESE ISSUES.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT ISSUE RELATED TO BATON ROUGE?

SURE.

AS YOU MENTIONED WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS PLAN ON FILE WITH THE EPA.

IT'S ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE STATE DEQ.

AND GOING BACK, AT LEAST 10 YEARS, BATON ROUGE HAS BEEN OUT OF COMPLIANCE ON ITS STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.

AND SO WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND THE TWO SIDES HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH.

THEY HAVEN'T FOUND SPECIFIC TOXINS IN OUR WATER QUALITY.

BUT THERE ARE JUST ALL SORTS OF GAPING HOLES IN THE LACK OF INFORMATION IN OUR PLAN ABOUT HOW WE PLAN TO DEAL WITH THE WASTE AND THE LITTER AS IT GETS INTO THE WATERSHED.

AND EPA AND DEQ, THEY KEEP COMING BACK TO THE CITY.

YOU CAN FOLLOW THE WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE AND SAY WHAT ABOUT THIS, THIS, AND THIS?

MONTHS AND YEARS GO BY AND WE STILL TO DON'T ADDRESS IT.

THE EPA IS DOWN HERE.

THERE ARE SOME SORT OF LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON.

WE COULD BE STARING AT A FEDERAL CONSENT DEAGREE WHICH WOULD MEAN IF IT'S IMPLEMENTED THEY WOULD FORCE SOLUTIONS ON US WHICH WOULD BE PROBABLY A LOT MORE COSTLY IN THE LONG RUN THAN IF WE HAD ADDRESSED THESE PROBLEMS ON THE FRONT END.

NOW, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO WORK OUT SOME SORT OF A SOLUTION BUT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, TO SUSAN'S POINT, IT SPEAKS TO THE PROBLEM THAT IT'S GOTTEN THIS FAR THAT NOW THE FEDS AND THE STATE ARE INVOLVED IN TELLING US HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOLVED OURSELVES ON THE FRONT END MANY YEARS AGO.

WELL, CERTAINLY A LOT OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT THERE.

AND RIGHT NOW I WANT TO THANK OUR PANEL, SUSAN RUSSELL, STEPHANIE RIEGEL, AND DR. BENFIELD, FOR HELPING US GET A BETTER HANDLE ON THE LITTER PROBLEMS WE FACE HERE IN WHAT LA.

TACKLING TRASH IS A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH INVOLVING STATE AGENCY, INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITIES AND RESIDENTS.

WE WILL EXPLORE THE ROLE OF LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS NEXT AFTER A BRIEF OVERVIEW.

WHEN IT COMES TO CONTROLLING LITTER IN LOUISIANA, STATE POLICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES ARE THE KEY PLAYERS IN ENFORCEMENT.

FINES CAN CLIMB TO $VUN 75 FOR SIMPLE LITTER.

$250 FOR INTENTIONAL LITTERING FROM A VEHICLE.

AND UP TO $1,000 FOR GROSS LITTERING.

LARGE AMOUNTS OF TRASH TOSSED INTO DITCHES.

ILLEGAL DUMPING FALLS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND CARRIES HIGHER PENALTIES.

I HAVE THE ABILITY RIGHT NOW TO CHARGE $32,500 PER DAY.

AND I HAVE GIVEN BEEN TO THE POINT WHERE IF YOU ARE A WILLFUL VIOLATOR, A REPEAT OFFENDER THEN YOU COULD BE SUBJECT TO THOSE FINES.

DEQ SECRETARY CHUCK BROWN EXPLAINS THE CHALLENGE THE AGENCY FACES FROM USED TIRE DEALERS.

WELL, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY BRING IN 2,000 TIRES IN A TRUCK.

THEY WILL GO THROUGH AND SEE 500 THEY CAN RESELL.

AND THEN IF I'M NOT CAREFUL THOSE 1500 WILL END UP IN SOMEBODY'S FIELD, ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OR -- PREVENTING STORM WATER POLLUTION MAKING ITS WAY INTO THE STATE'S WATERSHED IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH MUNICIPALITY.

DEQ OVERSEES THESE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE EPA.

EVERY CITY HAS SO MANY MILES, HUNDREDS OF MIEMTION OF RIGHT OF WAY THAT THEY MAINTAIN.

AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO BASICALLY MANAGE OR FORBID BIRTH FROM -- LITTER FROM GETTING INTO THE LAKES OR THE REFERS OR THE STREAMS.

THIS PARISH IS IN TALKS WITH THE AGENCY AFTER FAILING THE STORM WATER AUDIT FOR A FOURTH TIME.

THE NEXT STEP COULD BE A MANDATED CONSENT DECREE.

JOINING US NOW TO EXPLORE HOW CITIES AND THE STATE MONITOR LITTER IS OUR NEXT PANEL.

MOW KNEE BOULET, THE CEO OF THE ACIEDIAN THAT PLANNING DIVISION.

HER ORGANIZATIONS OVERSEES THE WATER MANAGEMENT OF 16 PARISHES.

SERGEANT GARRETT KIMBLE.

NIKKI THAT SIMON IS A COMPROIIANS OFFICER.

HER DUTIES INCLUDE WASTEWATER AND STORM WATER INSPECTIONS.

AND JOINING US REMOTELY IS CONSTAN YOU WILL -- CONESTABLISH BULL RICK MOTHER FOR TAMMANY PARISH: MONIQUE, I WANTED TO START WITH YOU.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF LITTER AND LITTER CONTROL.

SURE.

SO THE ACIEDIAN THAT PLANNING COMMISSION IS THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE LOUISIANA WATERSHED REGION 5.

AND ALL OF THIS ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS TO REALLY START THINKING FROM A WATERSHED INITIATIVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FLOOD OF 2016, THAT REALLY BRINGS HOME THE ISSUE OF LITTER AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT.

WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON TODAY TO FIX.

IN ABBEVILLE, THE OLD, THE NEW BY PASS, HIGHWAY 14, WENT ADJOURNED WATER AND THERE ARE TWO RIVERS OTHER THE RIVER.

THE OLD BRIDGE WAS THE ONLY WAY IN AND OUT.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THE LITTER DEBRIS WAS BUILDING UP ON ONE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

SO YOU ACTUALLY HAD WATER FLOWS STOP.

AND AS THE HOUSES AND STRUCTURES WERE GOING PUGET SOUND WATER THE TOWN WAS PELLINGING TO LIFT THE BRIDGE.

THEY COULD NOT LIFT THE BRIDGE BECAUSE IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE GETTING IT BACK DOWN, YOU COULDN'T GET EMERGENCY CREWS AND RESPONSE PEOPLE IN.

AND SO YOU DON'T REALIZE, WHEN YOU DROP A CAN AT THE MALL AND IT ENDS UP IN THE DRAIN, THAT IT'S GOING TO POTENTIALLY REALLY CREATE FLOODING.

WE DIDN'T EXPECT THAT.

IN THE VERMILLION RIVER IS WELL MANAGED AND TRASH IS PICKED UP EVERY DAY.

SO EVEN WITH THAT EFFORT GOING ON, WE STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH LITTER.

FROM LIFTER.

ABSOLUTELY.

SERGEANT KIMBLE, LET ME TURN TO YOU ON THAT.

WE'VE SEEN EARLIER IN THE PROGRAM SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF LITTER WHEN IT GETS INTO SOME OF OUR WETLAND AREAS AND AREAS LIKE THAT.

WITH WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES, I WOULD IMAGINE YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT AND YOU COULD TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT PROBLEM FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AT WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES.

LITTER HAS SUCH A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE WILDLIFE AND FISH HABITAT IN LOUISIANA.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD ISSUES WHERE A USED FISHING LINE HAS TANGLED UP AROUND ANIMALS AND FISH AND THAT CAUSES ISSUES OBVIOUSLY WITH THEIR HEALTH.

THERE HAVE BEEN ANIMALS, DEAD ANIMALS FOUND WITH PLASTIC AND CIGARETTE BUTTS AND STUFF STUCK IN THEIR STOMACHS.

SO IT'S AN OBVIOUS HEALTH ISSUE FOR THE GAME AND THE FISH AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, MAKING THEIR HABITAT DIRTY AND HAVE BACTERIA AND THOSE ANIMALS AND THOSE FISH, THEY NEED CLEAN HABITAT.

RECEIPT ME GO TO YOU RIGHT NOW FROM DOTD'S PERSPECTIVE.

WHAT IS DOTD'S ROLE IN TERMS OF STORM WATER MANAGEMENT?

AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE LITTER SITUATION IN LOUISIANA?

SURE.

THE DOTD IS CONSIDERED AN MS 4.

THAT STANDS FOR MUNICIPAL STORM WATER SEWER SAM.

WE OPERATE UNDER MS 4 PERMIT ISSUED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

UNDER THIS PERMIT WE ARE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

AND ALSO UNDER THE PERMIT WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO INCORPORATE SIX MINIMUM CONTROL MEASURES INTO THE PERMIT TO ADDRESS OUR RESOURCES FROM OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM, OUR CONSTRUCTION SITES AND OUR FACILITIES.

SO TO INCORPORATE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR EACH OF THOSE.

THAT BASICALLY MEANS WE HAVE STANDARD GOALS AND PRACTICES TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.

ONE CONTROL MEASURE IS PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.

SO IN OUR EFFORTS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC WE HAVE BROCHURES AT OUR REST AREAS AND WELCOME CENTERS THAT ADDRESS STORM WATER POLLUTION.

ONE IS CALLED "AFTER THE SORM.

-- STORM."

ANOTHER IS CALLED "UNDERSTANDING STORM WATER."

BOTH GIVE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT STORM WATER POLLUTION IS, THE PROBLEMS IT CREATES AND HOW TO PREVENT THE LITTER RUNOFF.

IN ADDITION TO THESE BROCHURES WE ALSO HAVE CHILDREN ACTIVITY PACKETS THAT HELP CHILDREN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN BE A SOLUTION TO WATER POLLUTION.

AND TO HELP THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS RECOGNIZE WHAT LITTER IS AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO WATER POLLUTION.

AND HOW TO BE NOT THE PROBLEM BUT PART OF THE SOLUTION.

THAT'S GREAT.

I WANT TO TURN NOW TO CONSTABLE MOORE BECAUSE I WAS FASCINATED TO LEARN YOU HELPED STANDARD A LITTER COURT IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH.

I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW A LITTER COURT WORKS AND THE ROLE YOU PLAY IN THE LITTER COURT.

YES.

I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE ON YOUR PROGRAM TODAY.

MY NAME IS RICK MOORE.

I AM A CONESTABLISH BULL IN ST. TAMMANY BAR IRISH FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

FEW PEOPLE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JP AND A CONESTABLISH BULL.

WE GOT -- CONSTABLE.

WE WENT TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND SAT DOWN WITH THEM TO DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURE TO ESTABLISH LITTER COURT.

IT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE BACK IN 2001.

AND AFTER THAT POINT, WE WENT INTO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ST. TAMMANY PARISH GOVERNMENT, AND WORKED WITH THEM TO DEVELOP ORDINANCES IN ORDER TO CONTROL LITTER IN OUR PARISH.

AND WHAT WE BASICALLY DID WAS JUST MIRROR THE STATE LAW AT THAT TIME.

AND MOVED IT INTO OUR PARISH ORDINANCE.

THE STATE STATUTE THAT YOU CAN REFER TO, TO REVIEW THIS IS RS 13-2586.

AND IT'S A STATE LAW.

ANYBODY CAN USE IT.

CITIES AND MUPPITIES AND AS WELL AS PARISHES.

LOOK, THIS WAS SLOW GOING.

THIS WASN'T A FAST PROCESS BY ANY MEANS.

IT WAS TEDIOUS.

NO ONE WAS THERE TO TEACH US HOW TO DO THIS COURT.

THEY LEARNED AS WE WENT ALONG AND AS WE GREW.

AND WE DEVELOPED THIS INTO A MODEL OF LITTER COURT AS IT IS TODAY.

WE WERE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO PROSECUTE THE OFFENDERS.

BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, LITTER WAS EVERYWHERE IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH AND WE JUST WANTED A TOOL TO CONTROL LITTER AND TO REMOVE ILLEGAL SIGNS OFF TELEPHONE POLES AND IN THE DITCHES AND SO FORTH.

WE TREATED THE COURT FAIRLY AND HAD DUE PROCESS.

AND I WANT TO ALSO LET YOU KNOW THAT LITTER COURT IS ESTABLISHED WITH ONE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND TWO CONSTABLES.

BASICALLY AN ENTIRE PARISH CAN HAVE LITTER COURT WITH ONE JUDGE AND THE TWO CONSTABLES.

ONE ACT AS A WITNESS TO THE EVENT.

THE OFFENDER AND THE SECOND ACTS AS A PREFER.

THAT'S STATED IN STATE LAW THAT CAN BE SET UP THAT WAY.

WE HEARD EARLIER IN THE PROGRAM ABOUT A SUCCESS STORY WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF BAYOU VERMILLION.

COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT?

HOW THAT IS FUNDED AND KIND OF HOW THAT OPERATES?

SURE.

WE HAVE A MILLAGE.

IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE ONLY REGIONAL FUNDED MILLAGES WHERE FOUR PARISHES PUT IN, AND IT'S A LOCAL MILLAGE.

I WILL SAY WITH THE WATERSHED INITIATIVE WE ARE LOOKING STATEWIDE AT REALLY FUNDING A DIFFERENT WAY TO MANAGE OUR WATERWAYS.

AND OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE OUTREACH PROCESS.

WE WILL BE MEETING WITH ALL.

OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREAS TO ASK THAT QUESTION.

WE HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH DRAINAGE.

AND LITTER IS INCLUDED IN THAT.

AND SO HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT?

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT PROBABLY SEVERAL DIFFERENT FUNDING MECHANISMS.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A ONE ANSWER FOR THE ENORMITY OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR WATER SHEFD MANAGEMENT.

AGAIN, LITTER IS PART OF THAT.

RIGHT NOW THE BAYOU VERMILLION DISTRICT AND THE TESH IS FUNDED BY A LOCAL MILLAGE.

THAT IS ONE OF THE FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.

DO YOU SEE ASS THE MODEL FOR OTHER AREAS TO FOLLOW SUIT ON THAT APPROACH?

I THINK IT CAN BE.

BOTH MILLAGES ARE VERY SPECIFIC RIGHT NOW.

SO THEY'RE LIMITED TO THE FUNCTION OF THAT MILLAGE.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WITH MILLAGES.

REALLY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR WATERSHEDS ALL THE WAY FROM THE LITTER THAT GOES INTO THEM TO HOW WE BUILD AND AROUND THEM.

IT'S A BIG QUESTION.

THERE'S, I KNOW THE STATE HAS PUT TOGETHER A WHITE PAPER ON ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDING MECHANISMS.

AND AGAIN I DON'T THINK ANYBODY FEELS LIKE THERE'S A ONE SOLUTION ANSWER TO THIS.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE MULTIPLE FUNDING MECHANISMS.

AND REALLY A MIND SET SHIFT.

WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT OUR WATER WAYS.

I THINK MANY GENERATIONS, AT LEAST SEVERAL GENERATIONS AAG YOU ARE WATER WAYS WERE A REAL ASSET.

AND WE BUILT ON HIGH GROUND.

WE THOUGHT ABOUT THEM DIFFERENTLY AND WE TREATED THEM DIFFERENTLY.

SOMEHOW ALONG THE WAY THEY JUST BECOME PART OF OUR LANDSCAPE.

AND NOT REALLY AS IMPORTANT IN OUR CULTURE I THINK AS THEY WERE AT ONE TIME.

SO CHANGING OUR MINDSHIFT AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS ON OUR WATER WAYS, ON THE WATER QUALITY.

THE CONTENT IN THE WATER.

ALL, WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK DIFFERENT ABOUT THAT.

AND SO FUNDING IT I DON'T THINK, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ONE ANSWER.

I THINK -- AND MEETING WITH THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, WHEN YOU SAY MILLAGE, EVERYBODY TURNS THEIR HANDS UP.

NO.

IT'S LIKE SAYING CANCER BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING MUCH MORE MINOR.

SO MAYBE A MILLAGE IS ONLY A PIECE OF IT.

BUT MAYBE THERE ARE FEES OR USAGE FEES.

MAYBE -- WE ARE LOOKING AT A MULTIPLE AND WE REALLY ARE GETTING FEEDBACK.

WE ARE GOING VERY LOCAL TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS AND ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAINTAINING OUR WATER WAYS.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTORS IN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ST. MARY PARISH.

THEIR WORK IS INTERCONNECTED.

WE ARE MEETING WITH ALL OF THEM AND GETTING THAT FEEDBACK AND HOPING TO COME UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD FUNDING SOLUTIONS THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH.

ONE THING WE'RE LEARNING VERY MUCH OUT OF THIS IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED PROBLEM.

SERGEANT KIMBLE, WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE PIECE ABOUT THE PENALTIES THAT WE HAVE IN LOUISIANA FOR LITTERING AND WE HEARD FROM DEQ ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF AMOUNTS OF FINES THAT THEY CAN ASSESS FOR LITTERING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS PART OF THE ISSUE THERE?

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH IN TERMS OF TOOLS, IN TERMS OF FINES, ASSESSMENTS, THAT TYPE OF THING?

IS THAT THE PROBLEM OR IS IT MORE LIKE MAYBE WHAT MONIQUE IS TALKING ABOUT A MINDSET CHANGE THAT WE NEED MORE OF THIS.

RIGHT.

IN LOUISIANA, THE PENALTIES FOR LITTERING RANGE FROM $175 FINE TO ROUGHLY $1,000 IN FINES.

AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING TO DO SOME TYPE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE SUCH AS LITTER PICK-UP.

LOUISIANA LAW CATEGORIZES LITTERING ACTS IN THREE DIFFERENT TYPES.

SIMPLE LITTERING, INTENTIONAL LITTERING AND THEN GROSS LITTERING.

SIMPLE LITTERING WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, HAVING SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF YOUR VEHICLE FLYING OUT THE BACK OF YOUR VEHICLE: INTENTIONAL LITTERING WOULD BE SUCH AS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND INTENTIONALLY THROWING SOMETHING LIKE A DRINK CONTAINER OR FAST FOOD WRAPPER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OUT THE WINDOW.

OR OUT OF THE YOUR BOAT INTO THE WATER.

GROSS LITTERING WOULD BE DUMPING LARGE AMOUNTS OF TRASH, HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE, BAGS OF HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE, TIRES, STRUCTURES.

THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK INCREASED PENALTIES OR HARSHER PENALTIES FOR THE INTENTIONAL AND THE GROSS LITTERING WOULD BE MORE OF A DERER RENT EFFECT FOR, FOR LITTERING ACTS.

NIKKI THAT, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING.

I HEARD THE DOTD HAS A ADOPT A ROAD PROGRAM.

MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND MAYBE SAVE MONEY AS WELL.

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A DOTD SPONSORED PROGRAM THAT ENLISTS VOLUNTEERS TO REMOVE LITTER AND DEBRIS FROM A FEDERAL AND STATE ROADSIDES.

IT DOES SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY BECAUSE IT'S COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY.

THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES RECOGNITION TO THE VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.

IT PROMOTES CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND PRIDE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

IT MAKES THE PUBLIC AWARE AND IT HELPS THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA CLEAN AND GREEN.

SO IF THERE ARE ANY GROUPS, VOLUNTEER GROUPS OR THAT SEE AN AREA IN THEIR COMMUNITY THAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO BE CLEANED, WHAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO IS CONTACT THEIR LOCAL DOT DISTRICT OFFICE SO THEY WILL IDENTIFY THAT AREA IS ABLE TO BE ADOPTED IN THE ADOPT A ROAD PROGRAM.

AND SUBMIT APPLICATIONS.

AND THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

THERE'S A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS WWW.DOTD.LA.GOV.

CONSTABLE MOORE, IF I SEE SOMEONE LITTERING AND I AM IN A PARISH THAT HAS A LITTER COURT WHAT DOES A CITIZEN DO IN TERMS OF REPORTING?

HOW DOES THAT MECHANISM WORK?

WELL, WE HAVE NUMEROUS WAYS OF REPORTING LITTER IN OUR PARISH.

WE HAVE WEBSITES.

WE HAVE SIGNS THAT ARE ALL OVER THE PARISH.

WE HAVE, USE YOUR PHONE BOOK THE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THE PARISH, CITY GOVERNMENTS.

THE FACEBOOK AS WELL.

BUT WE HAVE NUMEROUS WAYS OF DOING IT.

OUR MOST POPULAR WAY THAT THAT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.

PEOPLE CAN GO TO A GOVERNMENT WEBSITE.

IT HAS A DROP DOWN BOX.

GO TO KEEP ST. TAMMANY BEAUTIFUL WEBSITE.

THEY HAVE AN AREA WHERE YOU CAN REPORT LITTER.

AND WHAT WE ARE PROUD OF THAT WE CAME ACROSS IS WHAT'S CALLED AN AFFIDAVIT.

A LITTER AFFIDAVIT.

WHICH ENGAGES THE PUBLIC INTO HELPING US FIGHT LITTER.

BECAUSE WITHOUT THE PUBLIC, WITHOUT THEIRIZE AND EARS OUTS THERE IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO FIGHT LITTER.

GO ONLINE, FILL OUT THE AFFIDAVIT.

IT COMES BACK TO OUR OFFICE.

WE START INVESTIGATING.

IT COULD BE A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.

IT COULD BE A CREDIT CARD.

IT COULD BE A BAG ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

VIRTUALLY ANYTHING.

AND WE HAVE THE SUBPOENA POWERS, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE HAVE THE SUBPOENA POWERS TO SEARCH AND GET PHONE NUMBERS, FOR INSTANCE, TO LOCATE THESE OWE FINISHEDDERS.

WE HAVE NUMEROUS DUMP SITES AS I'M SURE ALL THE PARISHES DO.

WE ALSO HAVE A MECHANISM IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT WARDS.

BECAUSE THE JP AND CONSTABLES, THEIR JURISDICTIONS ARE CALLED WARDS.

WHAT THE PARISH HAS DONE IS PUT UP SIGNS WITHIN THEIR AREAS WITH THEIR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS ON THEM SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN CALL THOSE NUMBERS.

THEY CAN REPORT LITTER.

AND THAT GETS REPORTED TO THE CONSTABLES.

AND WE GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE AND TRY TO CLEAN UP OUR PARISH.

IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET TO THIS POINT.

AND WE JUST PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE ACCOMPLISHED.

THAT'S GREAT.

SERGEANT KIMBLE, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT SAME QUESTION, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WITH WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES, IF SOMEBODY SEES A VIOLATION, SHOULD THEY GO TO YOU TO WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES?

THE POLICE?

WHAT'S THE BEST ANGLE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THERE.

RIGHT, YEAH.

WE ALWAYS URGE CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED.

WE HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL SCENIC LANDSCAPE IN LOUISIANA.

WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF THAT.

WE SHOULD ALL TAKE ACTION TO TRY TO HELP PROTECT THAT.

AND SO WE ALWAYS URGE CITIZENS TO CALL THE LITTER HOTLINE, WHICH IS 1-888-LITTER-BUG.

OR USUAL ALWAYS REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL WILDLIFE AGENT.

IF YOU HAVE CONTACT WITH THEM, REACH OUT TO THEM AND GIVE THEM THE SPECIFICS ON, IF YOU SAW SOMEONE LITTERING AND YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TOO TO YOUR REGIONAL WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES OFFICE.

THANKS A LOT.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS SEGMENT.

THANKS TO MS. BOULET, SERGEANT KIMBLE, AND MS. SIMON.

WE KNOW OVER 80% OF LITTER IS INTENTIONAL.

HOW CAN PEOPLE'S BAD BEHAVIORS CHANGE?

WE WILL HEAR FROM FOWMS SETTING EXAMPLES.

BUT FIRST WE HEAR ABOUT RECYCLING.

WE WILL SEE FOUR PROVEN WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE DO THE RIGHT THING.

HOW DO YOU STOP PEOPLE FROM LITTERING?

STUDIES SHOW IT'S HARD TO CHANGE ENGRAINED HABITS.

DR. MARGARET REAMS IS A PROFESSOR OF VISUAL SCIENCE AT LSU.

IN THE '90s SHE STUDIED THE AMOUNT OF LITTER IN SEVERAL BATON ROUGE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DIDN'T RECYCLE.

VERSUS ONE THAT HAD FOR MANY YEARS.

IN THAT OLDER PILOT COMMUNITY, AND ALSO IN THE COMMUNITIES WITH NO CURBSIDE RECYCLE, WE SAW HIGHER LEVELS OF ALL KINDS OF LITTERING.

SO IT WAS AGAIN THE BEGINNING OF SOME INSIGHT THAT THE PARTICIPATION OF RECYCLING FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAYBE GENERATED SORT OF A WARM GLOW AND A FEELING OF AL TRUISM, PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR.

BUT THERE WAS NOT REALLY EVIDENCE THAT IT WOULD CARRY OVER TO REALLY A REDUCTION IN LITTER IN GENERAL.

FOR DONNA CURTIS, DIRECT OF SHREVEPORT GREEN, IT'S ALL ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.

AFTER 25 YEARS AT THE HELM SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO GET THE CITY TO OPEN AN ENVIRONMENTAL COURT.

WE WILL HAVE ATTORNEYS OR JUDGES THAT SIT AND LISTEN TO THE ENFORCEMENT AND LITTER VIOLATIONS, ARE.

AND THEN THAT'S ALL THEY LISTEN TO.

AND THEY ARE GOING TO HOLD THEM A LITTLE MORE ACCOUNTABLE.

HER ORGANIZATION DOES REGULAR CLEANUPS.

RELYING ON A BENCH OF VOLUNTEERS, 13,000 DEEP.

THE GROUP RECENTLY DISTRIBUTED CONTAIN I-CONTAINERS AROUND THE CITY TO COLLECT CIGARETTE BUTTS AND TASH GETS AND LITTER THAT FLIES FROM TRUCK BEDS.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO TARP GIVEAWAYS BUT THEY CAN COME PICK UP A TARP IF THEY SIGN A PLEDGE SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO USE THAT TARP TO CONTROL THINGS IN THE BACK OF THEIR TRUCKS.

MEASURES LIKE THESE MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE NOT TO LITTER.

ONE OF FOUR PROVEN WAYS TO CHANGE BEHAVIORS.

AND INCREASE IN ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES IN THE COMMUNITY CAN ALSO EXERT POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE.

WE HAVE A CLEAN BUSINESS PROGRAM.

WE WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES TO CLEAN UP THEIR AREAS.

THEY HAVE A CHECK SHEET THAT THEY CAN GO THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT MAYBE THEY CAN STOP LITTER FROM INSIDE THE OFFICES TO THE OUTSIDE TO EVEN THEIR VEHICLES.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PROVIDED THROUGH GROUPS LIKE KEEP RAE WHAT -- LOUISIANA BEAUTIFUL HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF LITTER.

THE FINAL STAGE IS TO CREATE CONFIDENCE THAT WHAT A PERSON DOES MAKES A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.

SOMETHING SHREVEPORT GREEN HAS HARD DATA ON.

WE DISCOVERED THAT AFTER OUR FIRST YEAR OF BEING IN BUSINESS, AND WORKING ON THIS, THAT WE HAD A REDUCTION OF 85% LITTER.

CURTIS SAYS LITTER INDICATES PEOPLE DON'T CARE.

AN ATTITUDE SHE HOPES WE ALL CAN CHANGE.

THE IMAGE OF LITTER IN A COMMUNITY IS VERY DETRIMENTAL.

IT HURTS TOURISM.

IT RUINS PROPERTY VALUES.

THE RESULT OF LITTER ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

PROVIDING WAYS FOR CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED IN LOUISIANA'S WAR ON LITTER IRS THE TOPIC OF OUR THIRD PANEL.

MARINE CONSTANTIN IS AN AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER KNOWN FR HER IMAGES OF MOTHER TERESA.

SHE IS ON A MISSION TO HELP THE LITTER ACROSS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

STEFFEK RAINEY IS A MEMBER OF THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.

HE SERVED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE AND IS A CONSTENNEDDER FOR THE EPA'S PRESIDENTIAL YOUTH AWARD.

AND JOINING US REMOTELY THERE THIBODAUX IS ALMA ROBICHAUX, A MEMBER OF THE RE.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

MARIE, LET'S START WITH YOU.

I HAVE SEEN THE VIDEOS OF THIS AND IT'S JU AMAZING TO ME BUT YOU AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE COLLECT THE ENOUGH TO FILL A FOOTBALL FIELD.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE ON THIS PROJECT?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT HOW LITTER GETS THERE AND HOW WE CAN ELIMINATE IT?

WE'RE UP TO 710 BAGS NOW.

SO THAT FOOTBALL FIELD IS GETTING REAL FULL.

BUT WHAT INSPIRED ME, I WENT DOWN BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR AND DOWN TO THE LAKE TO WALK MY DOG AND I SAW LITTER.

THE DENSITY THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

IT WAS JUST SHOCKING.

IT MADE ME SO SAD.

AND THE TRUTH IS, I THOUGHT OF MOTHER TERESA'S WORDS.

I'M NOT CALLED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

I'M CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL.

WELL, THIS APPLIES HERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY CAN CLEAN THIS UP.

SO I THOUGHT, I'M GOING TO GIVE A YEAR OF MY LIFE.

I'M GOING TO COME DOWN, PICK UP LITTER AND NOT WORRY AND I'M GOING TO POST ON FACEBOOK.

I STARTED POSTING ON FACEBOOK.

AND THEN I THINK PEOPLE FELT SORRY FOR ME.

THEY STARTED SAYING, CAN I COME HELP?

AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT WE CLEANED UP THE WHOLE LAKE.

LITH RALLY EXCEPT FOR THE NORTHERN WOODED PART.

AND SO THEN TO OUR HORROR, OUR ABSOLUTE HORROR WE DISCOVERED THAT WE CLEANED IT AND CELEBRATED AND WE DISCOVERED 41 BAGS A MONTH WERE FLOWING IN FROM THE CITY'S UNTREATED STORM DRAINS.

BECAUSE WE HAVE 250 STORM CANALS IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

AND CAPITAL LAKE I, THE CITY WAS THE LITTER BUG.

THAT'S HOW THIS ALL GOT STARTED.

THAT'S AMAZING.

WE WILL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT BUT STEFFEK, LET ME TURN TO YOU.

TELL US ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL AND PARTICULARLY YOUR ROLE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE.

SO THE LEGISLATIVE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL IS A GROUP OF 31 STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

WE ARE CHOSEN BY THE COMMISSION ON CIVIC EDUCATION.

AND WE MEET TO TRY TO ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES CURRENTLY AFFECTING THE YOUTH IN OUR STATE.

AND TO MEET WITH LEGISLATORS AND LOCAL LEADERS TO PRESENT OUR IDEAS TO THEM.

EVERY YEAR WE TRY TO PASS SOME ACTUAL POLICY AND LEGISLATION.

AND ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, WHICH I SERVE ON, WE LOOK AT ISSUES AFFECTING THE YOUTH REGARDING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

AND THIS YEAR, LITTER AND REDUCING POLLUTION IS ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUSES.

AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT WE CAN TAKE WITH DIFFERENT POLICIES AND INITIATIVES THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT TO TRY TO REDUCE LITTER AND POLLUTION.

THAT'S GREAT.

AND THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING.

YOU ARE GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT.

ALMA ROBICHAUX, I WANTED TO TURN TO YOU REALLY QUICKLY.

HOW WELL DO YOU THINK LOUISIANA IS DOING AS FAR AS RECYCLING GOES?

AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE THERE?

WELL, WE'RE NOT DOING WELL AT ALL.

WE ARE CURRENTLY LAST IN THE NATION FOR RECYCLING.

IN FACT, WE HAVE ABOUT A 6% RECYCLING RATE IN LOUISIANA.

SO IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING.

AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE VERY A VERY RURAL STATE.

SO MOST MUPPITIES DO NOT HAVE OPTIONS FOR RECYCLING.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING FACILITY IN THE STATE.

AND IT IS CURRENTLY IN BATON ROUGE.

AND SO IF YOU ARE A MUNICIPALITY THAT IS FURTHER AWAY, YOU HAVE TRANSPORTATION COSTS.

YOU HAVE COLLECTION COSTS.

AND THEN DISPOSAL COST.

BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE FACILITY, PRICING OPTIONS ARE LIMITED.

AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, LANDFILLS ARE PLENTY FULL IN OUR STATE.

BECAUSE OF THAT THE TIPPING RATE FROM LANDFILLS ARE RELATIVELY LOW.

SO WHEN A MUNICIPALITY IS DECIDING ON HOW TO DISPOSE OF ITS RESIDENTIAL WASTE, IT'S CHEAPER AND EASIER TO GO RIGHT TO THE LANDFILL INSTEAD OF TO THE RECYCLING PLANT.

MARIE, LET ME TURN BACK TO YOU BALK TALKING ABOUT, FOLLOW UP ON THAT ISSUE RIGHT THERE.

HOW DOES, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE AREA OF CAPITAL LAKES, HOW DOES ALL THAT LITTER, ALL OF THAT PLASTIC REALLY GET INTO THE AREAS LIKE THAT?

AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS?

I KNOW YOU LOOKED A THE SOME OF THOSE THAT WOULD HELP US GET RID OF THAT STUFF PERMANENTLY.

FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK THAT 80% OF LITTER IS INTENTIONAL.

I THINK IT'S INTENTIONAL AND SOME PERCENTAGE IS THE WAY WE HANDLE WASTE.

AND I THINK LITTER IS SO COMMRI INDICATED WE CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT.

BUT WHATEVER IT IS, SOMETHING WE'RE DOING IS NOT RIGHT.

WE NEED TO PIVOT AND CHANGE OUR THINKING AND LOOK AT WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE DONE.

AND WE KNOW THAT OTHER STATES ARE SUCCESSFUL.

SO I'M IN TERMS OF CAPITAL LAKE, WE ARE GOING TO GO FROM 41 BAGS FLOWING IN WHEN WE GET SEVERAL BLOOMS IN THE NORTHDALE CANAL, SUPPLIED BY THE STATE, WE ARE GOING TO GO FROM 41 TO TWO AND SIX.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PLUS 80% SUCCESS RATE IN CAPITAL LAKES JUST BECAUSE OF THESE BOOMS.

I KNOW LAFAYETTE IS WORKING WITH THE VERMILLION.

IT'S BEEN TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL THERE AND THEY HAVE GROWN ECOTOURISM.

WE STUDIED FLORIDA AND TOOK A TRIP TO PENSACOLA.

WE LEARNED THAT 30 YEARS AGO, WE LEARNED FROM VENDORS THAT WERE 30 YEARS BEHIND IN CAPTURING STORM WATER LITTER IN THE STORM WATER.

WE LEARNED FROM FLORIDA THAT THEY WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THEY PASSED A LAW SAYING, DECLARING STORM WATER TO BE A UTILITY THAT COULD BE PUT ON A UTILITY BILL.

AND SO WHEN THEY DID THAT, THEY BASICALLY CREATED A FUNDING SOURCE FOR ANY COMMUNITY THAT WANTED TO BE ABLE TO FUND A PROGRAM TO PICK UP LITTER IN A STORM WATER.

BUT THEN THERE WAS AN AMAZING UNINTENDED THING THAT HAPPENED.

IT WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.

WHEN THEY HAD THE PROGRAM AND THE MONEY AND THE MILLIONS TO CLEAN UP LITTER, THEY FOUND THAT THEY WEREN'T FLOODING BECAUSE THAT SAME MONEY WAS USED FORETT CADE -- EDUCATING THAT WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW.

IT WAS USED FOR KEEPING THE CANALS CLEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW.

IT WAS USED FOR NEW CANALS, MONEY FOR NEW KAMALS -- CANALS THAT WE DON'T HAVE INTERCEPTING LITTER.

THIS WAS AMAZING.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, LITTER, THE LITTER OF OUR GRANDFATHERS WAS NOT TOXIC.

OURS IS.

WE SHOULD BE CALLING THIS SOMETHING THAT GOES ON A UTILITY BILL.

AND FLORIDA SAW THAT 30 YEARS AGO.

AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT.

THEY TOOK THAT ACT AND THEY ACTUALLY STRENGTHENED FLORIDA LAWS.

AND THEN THEY PROVIDED THE FUNDING VEHICLE TO TOWNS AND 160 TOWNS IN FLORIDA.

AND SO WE SAY, DON'T DO IT ON THE BACK END.

ABSOLUTELY WE SHOULD DO IT ON THE BACK END.

THE STREETS ARE THE LIPSTICK AND THE PEERLS.

AND THE WETLANDS AND THE WATERSHED IS THE SOUL.

AND THE SOUL IS WHERE WE HAVE FUN AND WE GO FISHING, WE GO HIKING AND WE WRESTLE WITH AL GATHERS AND WE DO ALL KINDS OF CRAZY THINGS AND HAVE OUR CULTURE.

VOASHED WESHES CLEAN IT UP ON THE BACK END.

WHEN WE CLEAN IT UP ON THE BACK END ITS ALL GOES OUT AND A SUDDEN THESE PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS FUN.

START PROTECTING IT.

THAT'S WHAT FLORIDA DID.

AND THAT'S WHAT VERMILLION DID.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO.

BUT VERMILLION COULD LOSE THEIR FUNDING BECAUSE IT'S ON, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT.

THE TAX THING.

WE CANNOT LET US LOSE THE FUNDING TO CLEAN THIS UP.

IT'S GOT TO BE ON A UTILITY BILL.

THAT'S ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THERE ARE SOLUTIONS AND EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS STORIES OUT THERE.

STEFFEK, LET ME ASK YOU.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU ARE HEAR MARIE'S STORY?

TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT HOW DO YOU GET YOUTH INVOLVED, PEOPLE YOUR AGE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL HAVE ON THEIR PLATE RIGHT NOW?

YES, SO THE YOUTH, WE ARE THE FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS.

SO OUR ACTIONS TODAY WILL HAVE A LARGE CONSEQUENCE IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO THE BEST THING THAT THE YOUTH CAN DO IS TO GET INVOLVED AND TO ADVOCATE.

LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT AND THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTING YOUR COMMUNITY.

TALK WITH YOUR PARENTS, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

EVEN YOUR PEERS.

AND GET YOUR PEERS INVOLVED, ENGAGE THEM IN THIS TOPIC.

YOU CAN ORGANIZE LITTER CLEANUPS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

YOU CAN HOST AN EVENT TO RAISE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS.

AND YOU CAN ALSO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, BY SHOWING OTHER PEOPLE WAYS THAT THEY CAN REDUCE THEIR OWN WASTE AND THUS REDUCE LITTER AND POLLUTION.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST, EASIEST WAYS THAT THE YOUTH CAN DO THIS IS BY CHOOSING TO REUSE.

RETHINKING YOUR CHOICES AND USING LESS SINGLE-USE ITEMS.

BRINGING YOUR OWN REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE TO SCHOOL.

BRINGING YOUR LUNCH AND YOUR SNACKS IN REUSABLE CONTAINERS WITH REUSABLE CUTLERY.

AND JUST TALKING ABOUT R-WITH YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THIS.

LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.

BECAUSE THE CHANGE ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT BUT IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE.

AND WE HAVE THE ABLE TO START MAKING THIS CHANGE NOW SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE A BETTER SITUATION IN THE FUTURE.

I AM GOING TO SAY A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN AROUND CERTAINLY HAVE A GREATER AWARENESS OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS, SINGLE USE ITEMS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE PROMOTING THAT.

ALMA, LET ME TURN TO YOU AGAIN.

I I UNDERSTAND THAT CHINA DID SOMETHING BACK IN 2018 THAT ACTUALLY MADE IT CHEAPER FOR AMERICANS TO DISPOSE OF PLASTICS IN THE LANDFILLS RATHER THAN RECYCLING.

WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT.

WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE?

WELL, CHINA BANNED FOREIGN SOLID WASTE.

SO WE COULD NO LONGER SEND OUR RECYCLABLES OVER TO CHINA.

AND 60% OF OUR RECYCLABLES WERE GOING OVER THERE.

SO WHEN THEY BANNED IT, WE WERE STUCK WITH IT.

WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WITH IT.

THE REASON CHINA BANNED IT, AND THE PROBLEM WITH IT WAS THAT IT WAS CONTAMINATED.

SO IT WAS NOT FULLY JUST ONE AND 2 PLASTICS, WASN'T ALL CARDBOARD.

IT HAD STUFF MIXED INTO IT THAT CONTAMINATED.

WE ARE KIND OF WISHFUL RECYCLERS.

SO WE LIKE TO THROW EVERYTHING IN.

AND THERE WAS A TIME IN THE UNITED STATES, A TIME IN LOUISIANA THAT CURBSIDE RECYCLING WAS SEPARATED.

SO YOU WOULD PUT YOUR PLASTICSES IN ONE, YOUR GLASS, YOU PUT YOUR PAPER, YOUR CARDBOARD, YOUR ALUMINUM CANS.

AND THE HAULER WOULD TAKE IT SEPARATED TO THE RECYCLING FACILITY.

AND SO YOU HAD PRETTY CLEAN STOCK GOING TO THE RECYCLING FACTORY.

AND THEY LIKE THAT.

IT'S EASY FOR THEM TO TAKE A WHOLE THING OF MILK JUGS AND MAKE IT INTO A NEW MILK JUG BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT'S NOT A MILK JUG, A TIDE CONTAINER OH A CLAM SHELL THAT WILL DISURVE THE PROCESS AT THE FACTORY AND IT WILL LOWER THE VALUE OF THE RECYCLABLE THAT THEY'RE PRODUCING.

ALSO THE COST OF RECYCLING HAS SHOT UP.

BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO SORT EVERYTHING, THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL COST TO TRY TO SORT IT ALL OUT.

PEOPLE PUT WHATEVER THEY WANT IN THERE.

AND ALUMINUM CANS' VALUE HAVE GONE DOWN.

39 CENTS A POUND AND IT TAKES ABOUT 32, 33 CANS TO MAKE A POUND.

SO YOU LOOK AT ABOUT 1 SCRINT PER CAN.

SO IT'S JUST NOT AS REASONABLE FOR PEOPLE TO RECYCLE AS IT USED TO BE.

THEY'RE NOT MAKING ON THE BACK END.

OF COURSE, NOTHING IS RECYCLED UNTIL IT'S MADE INTO A NEW PRODUCT.

AND SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BUY RECYCLABLE PRODUCTS.

WE ARE TRYING TO GET INDUSTRY INTO LOUISIANA THAT USE RECYCLABLE PRODUCTS, THAT USE RECYCLING BASE TO MAKE NEW PRODUCTS.

AND SO THEY WILL BUY STUFF FROM OUR RECYCLING FACILITIES.

AND THEN MAERSK IT INTO NEW PRODUCTS.

THE LOUISIANA RECYCLING COALITION IS TRYING TO CONNECT THOSE DOTS BETWEEN THE HAULERS, THE MANUFACTURERS, THE END USERS, AND THEN TRYING TO GET PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA TO REALLY BUY RECYCLED PRODUCTS AND GET THE MARKET UP.

YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO THE NOTION OF WISH RECYCLING.

I THINK AS A CONSUMER MANY OF US WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TO ACTUALLY RECYCLE BETTER?

COULD YOU HELP US SO THAT WE'RE NOT WISH CYCLING?

OR REWISH CYCLING AND DOING SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN RECYCLING?

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

WHEN IN DOUBT THROW IT OUT.

IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW FOR SURE IS GOING TO BE RECYCLING, RECYCLED, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST THROW IT INTO THE GARBAGE CAN.

IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GO TO THE LANDFILL THAN IT WOULD BE TO GO TO THE RECYCLE FACILITY, AND GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MACHINE, PLASTIC BAGS GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MACHINES ALL THE TIME.

PEOPLE RECYCLE HOSES.

I HAVE THESE GLASSES RIGHT HERE.

THEY'RE MADE OF PLASTIC.

O. YEAH, PLASTIC IS RECYCLABLE.

I CAN THROW IT IN THERE.

AT OUR RECYCLING FACILITY IT'S NOT RECYCLABLE.

AND ALSO WITH CELL PHONES OR ELECTRONICS, THEY ARE RECYCLABLE.

BUT NOT IN THE CURBSIDE RECYCLING BIN OR IN DROPOFF RECYCLING BINS.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE THOSE TO SPECIFIC PLACES TO BE RECYCLED.

SO IT'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATION.

AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP CORRECTING BACK WITH THEIR PARISHES, WITH THEIR MUNICIPALITIES, TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS RECYCLABLE AND WHAT IS NOT.

AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU JUST PUT IN THE CLEAN STUFF AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, IT'S BETTER TO GO INTO THE GARBAGE CAN.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT.

THIS IS CERTAINLY HAS BEEN AN INSIGHTFUL HOUR ON THIS TOPIC OF LITTER.

WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME FOR OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

BUT WE DO WANT TO THANK MARIE CONSTANTIN, MR. RAINEY, MS. ROBICHAUX AND YOU ARE ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COMMENT ON TONIGHT'S SHOW BY VISITING LPB.ORG/PUBLICSQUARE AND CLICKING ON THE JOIN THE CONVERSATION LOING.

AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND GET YOUR COMMENTS.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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