Last November, Greenville County began a high-tech surveillance program intended to stop a menace that was wreaking havoc on our society:
Tires.
These weren’t just regular car tires stacked nearby at the auto shop, but were the kind of old tires you might find piled up haphazardly on the side of the road — tires tossed from the backs of pickup trucks, tires rolled over sidewalks and left to land where they may.
The specific location Greenville County identified, which had become a makeshift dumping ground, was just south of the city of Greenville on Patton Road.
“We went with our equipment, and in one visit, we picked up 94 tires,” said Bob Mihalic, governmental affairs coordinator with Greenville County.
But the county didn’t just scoop up the tires and head on their way. They installed a secure security camera and a sign warning potential dumpees that they were being recorded — thus any dumping could be met with a visit from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department.
“It’s just not acceptable,” Mihalic said. “We’ve had to go clean up these spots for a couple of years, but once you’ve been back three or four times, you know it’s a common dumping ground.”
Recently, that spot on Patton Road has become one of many locations now under surveillance by Greenville County in an attempt to stop the scourge of roadside dumps that have been popping up across the county.
The problem is not just an eyesore. Take tires, for example. As the rubber breaks down, the chemicals within leech into the soil, while disintegrated heavy metal is spread by rainwater, polluting nearby groundwater and soil. Even something as simple as a sideways tire filling up with collected rainwater can lead to mosquito hordes that savage those passing by — and especially the county workers trying to clean up the tires on a hot summer day.
To combat that, the age-old problem of litter is now being met with modern technology. The county’s “Litter Ends Here” app — available for free on any smartphone — has led to a number of dumping sites, like the one on Patton Road, being shut down and placed under surveillance to discourage further dumping.
Related: Greenville County fights the never-ending battle against litter
“The app allows people to report litter easily,” said Summer Gagnon, who serves as the county’s litter prevention coordinator. “If you see litter you can take a photo and report it, so we’re very open to the public in that regard.”
Mihalic said the number of reports has picked up in the last year as knowledge spreads about the ability regular citizens can have when it comes to reporting nuisance litter.
But even with this relatively new strategy aim, combating such a longstanding and growing problem is no easy feat.
Last year, Greenville County picked up 500,000 pounds of litter from the sides of roadways alone. This year’s litter problem is proving to be just as substantial. In just the month of January 2021, the county picked up 42,000 pounds of roadside trash.
“It’s ridiculous,” Mihalic said.
Another major hurdle is convincing people to “go the distance” when they are bringing items to one of the seven residential waste and recycling centers.
“People will get all the way there and decide to just dump their stuff right outside the center,” Mihalic said. “It’s absolutely not proper — usually not in the proper container — and with items like cardboard or trash, it’ll just blow all over the place.”
Let the lazy be warned: The residential waste and recycling centers are now also under surveillance, so anyone caught dumping outside may also face a visit from the Sheriff’s Department.
Photos: MLK Day of Service in Greenville
As for how the random dumping grounds are formed, the county is at a loss.
“It’s a good question,” Mihalic said. “I think unfortunately, while some people might see all that trash and think it’s disgusting, other people might say, ‘Hey, that’s a great spot to dump some stuff.’ What we’re trying to do is eliminate those spots altogether.”
Where can I recycle in Greenville County?
Eastside Area and South of Greer
Enoree Residential Waste and Recycling Center
1311 Anderson Ridge Road, Greer 29651
Greer and Blue Ridge Area
O’Neal Residential Waste and Recycling Center
3769 Camp Road, Greer 29651
Simpsonville, Mauldin, and Fountain Inn
Simpsonville Residential Waste and Recycling Center
517 Hipps Road, Simpsonville 29680
South Greenville
Piedmont Residential Waste and Recycling Center
200 Owens Road, Piedmont 29673
Travelers Rest and Slater-Marietta
Echo Valley Residential Waste and Recycling Center
3705 Geer Hwy., Marietta 29690
West Greenville and the Downtown Area
Blackberry Valley Residential Waste and Recycling Center
409 Blackberry Valley Road, Greenville, 29617
Countywide
Twin Chimneys Landfill
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
11075 Augusta Road, Honea Path 29654
What can I recycle in Greenville County?
Antifreeze
Limit 5 gallons
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Aluminum cans
Aluminum beverage cans, scrap aluminum, clean pie plates
Rinse and flatten
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers, Twin Chimneys Landfill, unstaffed drop-off boxes, and curbside
Appliances (white goods)
All metal appliances
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Automotive petroleum products
Used motor oil, filters, bottles, etc.
Limit 5 gallons. Over 5 gallons – Farmer Oil Tank at Twin Chimneys Landfill
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Batteries – lead-acid
Used automotive, marine, and lawn mower
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard, any cardboard boxes (except those with wax coating)
Flatten
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers, Twin Chimneys Landfill, unstaffed drop-off boxes, and curbside
CDs
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Cooking oil
Does not have to be in original container; it can be poured into the drum on site.
See attendant for placement
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Digital cameras
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
E-waste
Cellphones, computers and computer accessories; printing devices; TVs; monitors; laptops; telephones of any type; personal digital assistants (PDA); global positioning systems (GPS)
Residential generation only. No dismantled electronics
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Eyeglasses
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Greeting cards
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Lightbulbs
All light bulb types are accepted
See attendant for placement
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs
Take in any expired, unbroken CFL and give it to the store associate at returns desk
Collected at all Home Depot stores nationwide.
Paper
Any type or color of paper
No wax coated paper
Do not tie in bundles or bag in plastic
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers, Twin Chimneys Landfill, unstaffed drop-off boxes, and curbside
Plastics
#1 and #2 plastic bottles and jugs with a neck
Rinse and flatten
No diapers, plastic grocery bags, flower pots, IV bags, or medical tubing
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers, Twin Chimneys Landfill, unstaffed drop-off boxes, and curbside
Printer cartridges
Place in container provided
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers and Twin Chimneys Landfill
Steel cans
Steel food cans and aerosol cans
Rinse
No paint cans, clothes hangers, and cooking pots
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers, Twin Chimneys Landfill, and curbside (except Greer)
Tires
Passenger vehicle tires
All commercial truck, racing or tractor tires must be taken to Twin Chimneys Landfill
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers, Twin Chimneys Landfill, and curbside (except Fountain Inn and Travelers Rest)
Yard debris
Tree limbs, leaves, grass clippings, etc.
Limbs cannot exceed 6′ in length and 6″ in diameter
Collected at Residential Waste and Recycling Centers (limited to 3 cubic yards per day), Twin Chimneys Landfill, and curbside
