THOMASVILLE — Thomas County is well-known for Southern charm and beauty, but litter is taking over streets, roads and water ways, according to a Thomas County government code enforcement officer.

“The litter didn’t get there on its own,” said officer Pat Smith. “It’s an embarrassment, it’s disgusting and it degrades our communities.”

Litter is illegal, costly to remove and impacts personal health and safety, as well as economic health, and eventually ends up in waterways and oceans, Smith said.

She said a majority of people identify litter as a major environmental problem, “but they still litter.”

Littering, Smith said, can be easily controlled by thoughts and actions.

Uncovered vehicles are the No. 1 source of roadside litter in Georgia, and those uncovered vehicles carrying unsecured loads can dump litter on the roads every day, Smith pointed out.

“We’ve all seen trash blowing from garbage trucks, as well as private pickup trucks,” she said. “Truck owners often use their truck beds as mobile trash cans.”

Commercial vehicles hauling unsecured construction debris and other items also contribute to the litter problem.

Smith said drivers should not rely on the weight of items to keep them in a truck bed. Bumps, turns and sudden stops can dislodge even heavy items such as furniture and other large items, she added.

The operator of any vehicle from which debris is thrown, deposited or dropped is in violation of litter control laws — a law all Georgia law enforcement agencies are authorized to enforce.

Keep Thomas County Beautiful implements community-level improvement projects that include litter clean-ups, said Executive Director Julie Murphree.

“Local volunteers provide manpower and, in the process, develop a renewed sense of pride in their community,” Murphree said.

It is important to stop litter through enforcement and education, but it also is important to clean up litter, as litter begets litter, she said.

Murphree expects growth in the trend toward communities depending on volunteers.

According to Smith, the Georgia Department of Transportation spends $14 million annually cleaning up litter. In Thomas County, more than $115,000 is spent each year on labor alone to remove litter.

Many residents do not understand the importance of keeping a community litter free or the penalties that can be imposed if they violate litter laws, Smith said.

“When a community is proud of its environment, it is more likely to protect and care for it,” Murphree said. “Stopping litter in our community is a shared responsibility.”