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Litterbugs in Gastonia now face twice the fine if they get caught trashing up the highways and byways of the city, under a revised ordinance approved by City Council.
Penalties go from $100 to $200 for first offenses under 15 pounds, and from $250 fines to $400 fines for subsequent offenses. For offenses more than 15 pounds, first offense penalties increase from $200 to $400 and from $300 to $600 for subsequent offenses.
The harsher penalties go into effect immediately.
Council revised its litter ordinance to discourage people from just throwing their trash anywhere. But the city also has been looking a bit trashier of late, city officials say.
“We are seeing an increase in litter around the city and on highways,” Dale Denton, the city s director of Public Works, said. “And we think it may be due to the pandemic, where more people are eating take-out meals and also an overall increase in traffic to our city.”