Metro East Sun

State Senator Erica Harriss has filed and passed a bill out of committee aimed at tackling the ongoing trash and debris issues stemming from landfills in Madison and St. Clair counties.

“It’s very clear there is a huge problem when it comes to the trash in and along our roadways,” said Senator Harriss. “Since the first day I took office, members of the Roxana and surrounding communities have been extremely proactive in voicing their opinions and helping me find solutions to help clean up our roadways from trash and debris from the landfill in the 56th District.”

The legislation, known as Senate Bill 3566, would mandate that landfills in counties with populations over 250,000 provide facilities for the cleaning of mud, gravel, waste, and other materials from vehicles leaving the site.

“This bill is a great example of how good government works and the fundamental process of taking community concerns to the state legislature to help find solutions to a big problem in our area,” Senator Harriss emphasized. “This legislation is a good start toward addressing this issue, and I am closely monitoring other legislation in the House that could potentially improve the issue at hand.”

The current Illinois Environmental Protection Act only imposes wheel washing requirements on landfills in counties with populations over 270,000. Senator Harriss' SB 3566 has already passed the Environment and Conservation committee unanimously, and she aims to bring the legislation to the full Senate for a vote following the spring recess.