Several people have recently appeared in Lawrence County and Ironton municipal courts regarding cases over dumping of trash.

Whether it was illegal dumping or misusing recycling bins posted throughout the county by disposing of items such as mattresses, household doors or wooden furniture, those who were found guilty faced penalties.

Offenders were ordered to pay fines and some were sentenced to probation and suspended jail sentences.

Those at the Lawrence Scioto Solid Waste Management district work hard to keep the county clean and recycling requires clear guidelines, which, when not followed, creates difficulty for the program, wastes time and resources and renders it less effective.

The district, as well as cities and municipalities, host several clean-up events throughout the year, in which larger items can be dropped off and, in some cases, be picked up.

Recycling sites are monitored and, if you violate the rules, you will likely be caught and prosecuted.

We are thankful that these offenders are being held accountable and we encourage anyone with questions to contact the district or their local government to find out the rules for their items.

Let’s keep Lawrence County clean.