Lack of Street Sweeping sends trash to Long Beach

We have said it over and over on this website yet government leaders only pay lip service to this problem. Trash anywhere on the streets and sidewalks of Lakewood heads straight into the ocean in Long Beach. This story along with photos on LBReport.com graphically exemplifies what we are talking about. Quite frankly it is sad that a city the size of Long Beach (the 5th largest city in the state) allows other cities to dump their trash on its beaches. If I ran the city of Long Beach I would send the clean up bill to the County of LA and each city in the County. Perhaps that would spur some real action in cities like Lakewood that are afraid to take on the "free parking anywhere anytime lobby".

The solution is simple:

1. Real weekly street sweeping the day after trash day with ALL vehicles moved or towed out of the way. ALL streets must be swept weekly; the Lakewood clean sweep program has a LONG way to go. Right now only 1/4 of the city streets are swept and parking enforcement is weak or non existent. Worse it has taken the city over 30 years to even attempt a fix on the street pollution problem. We have written about this previously.

2. More trash cans everywhere on public and private property. We have asked for public trash cans for trash throwing Mayfair HS students on various streets with virtually no response from the city. Typical. These trash cans also have to be dumped once a week or more often.

3. Holding businesses and residences responsible for trash and other potential run off problems on or near their premises (like oil from cars on the streets and driveways);

4. Taking littering seriously and addressing the problem with laws and citations. It is just a plain lack of concern and enforcement;

5. Once the trash makes it to the storm drains and the LA or San Gabriel River it is the responsibility of the County of LA to clean it out before the rain starts. This may need to be done weekly during the rainy season. There should be inspections before anticipated rain. The County seems to have the time to lock gates on the river preceding a rain so it can also clean up the trash while its down there.

We complain about beach pollution yet we let this trash pileup in the ocean occur. We needs to stop the slobs that are heaving trash out their vehicle windows (including glass bottles) and start encouraging everyone to police this own neighborhoods for trash in the street.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

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