Wayne County officials are talking trash.

Specifically, at last week’s board meeting, the Wayne County commissioners voiced their displeasure over the litter that lines roadways across the area.

Commissioner Barbara Aycock started the conversation and says she’s been hearing from residents about the trash along the highways.

She noted the unsightly garbage lining Highway 70, which leads right toward The Maxwell Center.

County Board Chair Wayne Aycock says he’s spoken with local legislators and the NCDOT about removing the garbage strewn along local highways.

He adds NCDOT mowing crews used to be responsible for picking up the garbage, but that is no longer the case.

State Rep. John Bell of Wayne County announced last week he had introduced the Highway Cleanup Act (H.B. 100) to help address the growing litter problem across North Carolina.

If approved, House Bill 100 will strengthen enforcement of littering by increasing penalties, establish a new grant program for sheriff’s offices in rural counties to provide officers overtime pay for litter cleanup efforts and allocate additional funding to raise awareness and educate the public on existing anti-litter programs.