Some uncovered trash fines lowered

Spokane County commissioners approved a measure Tuesday that will reduce some fines for people who haven’t adequately covered trash while hauling it to the dump.

“It’s meant to be educational rather than punitive,” said William Wedlake, Spokane County’s regional solid waste coordinator.

Although state law has required counties and cities for about a decade to have rules outlawing transportation of uncovered loads to dumps, Spokane County had never passed such an ordinance.

The city of Spokane, however, created waste-covering regulations in 1999 for its three waste transfer stations. The rules were not enforced until January after the state Department of Ecology requested solid waste officials to use the ordinance because of garbage accumulation near waste stations, Wedlake said.

“I’d say it’s pretty obvious that there’s a litter problem along the roads leading to these facilities,” he said.

After handing out some fines early this year, rules were suspended until attorneys examined if the city law could apply even though Spokane’s waste stations are outside city limits. After the review, rules were reinstated earlier this month, Wedlake said.

Spokane’s ordinance includes a $5 fee for unsecured loads of one to three cubic yards and a $15 fee for loads more than three cubic yards. Folks who violated the rules more than once in a year could have been charged $100 each violation after the first on top of the $5 or $15 fines.

The county’s ordinance only includes a $5 fine for any violation.

Commissioners said the county’s law was written to provide flexibility so items that won’t blow out of a vehicle – like an old washing machine – won’t have to be covered. Penalties will be issued by the same solid waste workers who weigh the trash.

Money collected will be used to pick up trash along roadways, said Commissioner Mark Richard.

County rules governing covered loads will be used at the Waste-to-Energy Plant, North County Transfer Station, Sunshine Disposal and Graham Road Recycling & Disposal.

The more stringent city of Spokane rules will remain in effect at the Valley Transfer Station unless Spokane Valley creates its own ordinance. Wedlake said the $100 fine for repeat offenders will not be enforced.

Commissioner Phil Harris said he voted for the measure only because state law required a rule, and fees were reduced compared to city law. He questioned if solid waste employees had the authority to issue fines, if state government could require local governments to pass rules and – given another state law requiring loads to be covered – if more regulation was necessary.

Richard supports using a $5 fine.

“It’s either that or you and I spend our tax dollars to pick it up,” Richard said of the trash accumulation along roads.