KENT COUNTY, DE- Roadside trash concerns along Route 10 are piling up in Kent County — and neighbors say they’re tired of picking up a mess they didn’t make.
From plastic wrappers to large garbage bags, neighbors say debris is flying off trucks headed to the Sandtown Landfill and landing in their yards, along the road, and across their properties.
Amy Davis, who lives just a few miles from the landfill, says cleaning up litter has become a frustrating part of her daily life.
“My husband, he'll go out almost every day when he gets home from work, picking up the ditch in our front yard."
Davis says trash from garbage trucks and personal vehicles on the way to the landfill often flies off — and instead of stopping, drivers just keep going, leaving behind a mess that she ends up cleaning.
“I think people just stop caring. They don't stop anymore. I feel like when I first moved here, a lot of people would stop and pick it up as it dropped. But most of the time, people just keep driving by."
Davis says it's a problem she’s dealt with for more than a decade — and it’s only getting worse.
“It is frustrating. I feel like we try and keep a clean home and a clean yard, so it would be nice if people, if they notice, they drop it to pick it up."
Andrea Eckman, another neighbor who lives along Route 10, says the issue is more than just an eyesore.
“It’s a hazard. It’s a danger. Things fly out in the road — big items, big trash bags."
Eckman says she often ends up picking up the trash herself — just to keep her property clean.
“Sometimes I’ll walk out on my lunch and I’ll clean up if I see big things of trash."
Eckman says while the problem has been ongoing, she’s had enough — and wants to see accountability.
“It’s just always been a problem in the three years that we’ve lived here."
C.R. McLeod with the Delaware Department of Transportation says the agency is aware of the issue and working to address it.
“We share the frustration, you know, DelDOT spends a lot of time picking up trash alongside our roads every year."
He’s reminding all drivers — especially those hauling waste — to properly secure their loads.
“It’s something where the service providers need to be taking responsibility as well and, preventing this from happening."
DelDOT is also asking for help from the public. If someone sees a vehicle with an unsecured load, the agency encourages them to report it.