Spring cleaning is often associated with warm weather, but, in many areas, “spring cleaning” may also be a trip to the local dump. As we saw a year ago, various states have imposed laws regarding the transportation of trash to a dump with a tarp. In many areas, this specifies that trash being carried in a truck or a car must be covered with a tarp of some kind to prevent the load from spilling onto the side of the road and preventing a few pieces of litter from escaping the truck. As many transport trash to a dump site, the prevalence of litter along roads becomes an issue – not just for cleaning but also as a safety hazard for other motorists.
A recent article in the Kern Valley Sun discusses this issue within the town. Not everyone takes their trash to a dump site in a tarp, it appears, and the town’s Waste Management Department plans to charge a fee for those that arrive at a disposal site without a tarp. Those spotted on the road not covering their trash, however, will receive a much larger fine. According to this article, plastic or canvas tarps held in place by rope or bungee cords is acceptable.
Using a tarp to cover trash in a car or pickup truck can be done with any type of material, as long as it’s held in place. A polyethylene tarp will hold the load down and also protect it from water, in case rain hits. If water isn’t a concern, however, using a polypropylene mesh tarp is also acceptable. If canvas is the only material around your home, it, too, is also acceptable, as long as it’s held in place. All tarps used to cover a truck load must be secured firmly to prevent wind whip, as this can tear or shorten the lifespan of the material.
