One man’s trash is another man’s hometown: The City of Lawton’s struggle to contain waste in city limits

Driving down I44 into Lawton, the welcoming sight of the Wichita Mountains in the distance is a view that makes the city unique. Unfortunately, that view is accompanied by considerable amounts of trash along the highway, stuck in fields and fences.

Many residents and those traveling through from other cities have noted this as an issue Lawton’s struggled with for quite some time. Dark Roast Report’s Reanna Gonzalez recently took to social media to get feedback on the matter. As the post was made on a day that it stormed, some comments and even city officials claimed that the scattered litter was due to the storm. While Oklahoma wind may be a contributor in the spread of trash, the issue is an evident concern even amidst nice weather.

Many residents that commented on the problem believe the litter is a reflection of city government and the efforts made by them to address the topic. Some claimed they feel a lot of responsibility around the matter is put on residents, but city employees don’t hold up their end of addressing the spread of waste. Specifically, multiple residents mentioned garbage trucks with trash flying out of them and community bins that aren’t emptied regularly enough.

“Why are citizens required to cover their loads (and rightfully so) but these trucks always have things flying out?” one person commented.

Others suggested that the way residents dispose of waste – such as not bagging trash – is a large contributor to the issue and that more guidelines are required to address that end of things. Regardless of what residents mentioned as being at fault for the litter around the city, they all agreed on one thing; it’s an issue that needs to be addressed. 

Trash creates a stark contrast between the city and the serene natural landscapes that surround it. According to CityChangers.org, an organization focused on providing information to create positive change in urban communities, keeping waste cleaned up benefits a city in many ways. These include the air quality and soil health of a city, as well as economic progress through jobs and volunteer work. While adding recycling to the process is what creates the most optimal environment for a city, confronting the spread of waste across the community is the first step.

One Lawton resident, Lelani Wilson, told Dark Roast Report that she’s lived in a city before that had groups dedicated to meeting up regularly to pick up trash around the city. Wilson said the group was made up of volunteers but the city provided the supplies, such as gloves and garbage bags – displaying a true team effort to tackle the problem. She said that even the mayor would show up to help clean up, along with various volunteer groups from around the community, such as the Scouts.

“We’d just go out and clean up different areas of the city,” Wilson said. “We picked up tons of trash at a time.”

Wilson said she attempted to start a similar group in Lawton several times. She said starting in 2019, she began reaching out to various city officials directly to pitch the idea but said they all shot her down. She said she eventually gave up her attempts.

Dark Roast Report reached out to the city to ask Mayor Booker about his perspective on the issue and current or future methods of addressing it but were instead passed off to Public Works Director, Michael Watrous. Watrous was able to give general information on the topic. 

Watrous pointed out several state and city codes that are expected to be upheld in regards to waste disposal and transportation. These include several of which specify how the city is supposed to prevent waste from leaving the landfill. For instance, he shared OAC § 252:515-19-51 which requires daily cover at the landfill to prevent debris from blowing out of the dump. He said the city prevents waste from spreading from the landfill through fencing, cover-up, and regular cleanup (though he did not define “regular”).

“The City of Lawton landfill operates under a permit issued by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, which includes additional site-specific operational requirements,” Watrous shared. “The City also uses trustees and part-time staff to regularly collect litter along roadways leading to the landfill. ODEQ conducts multiple inspections each year, and the landfill is currently in compliance with these requirements.”

Watrous also gave insight on how the city attempts to manage the spread of litter from residents’ trash, despite the city’s recent limits on access to the landfill. OAC § 252:515-33-4 requires that anyone transporting solid waste to a disposal facility provide an adequate enclosure to prevent waste from spilling, falling, leaking, or blowing during transport, with the hauler responsible for cleanup if material escapes. He also referenced city and state codes that require loads to be securely covered before bringing them into the landfill. 

Additionally, Watrous mentioned designated groups that clean up trash around the city. For instance, he brought up that the City's Stormwater Maintenance Division hosts monthly events called “Stream Clean Saturdays,” where volunteers come out to remove litter from local waterways. 

“Oklahoma’s wind can occasionally carry lightweight material beyond the active landfill area. When that occurs, state regulations require prompt cleanup, including along surrounding roadways. The City responds by deploying staff to collect escaped litter and by working directly with nearby residents to address concerns as they arise,” Watrous added.

Watrous did not specify how urgently or often these staff clean-ups take place. He also didn’t provide any insight into how the city works with nearby residents. However, at the rate that trash seems to spread across the city, such initiatives may need to be more frequent.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency suggests that the best way to prevent the spread of trash is to properly dispose of trash by not overflowing garbage bins and closing them, and putting trash out shortly before pick up, along with organizing or volunteering for a trash pick-up group. In addition, Lawton residents can share feedback about how trash is managed in the city through this link.