It is frustrating to watch children play among other peoples rubbish. It is disconcerting to think of a visitor walking along our beach and stepping on a broken beer bottle. It is disheartening to believe the people responsible for leaving their trash behind on the beach do not care and will not change. It is challenging to manifest ways to curtail littering on the beachbut not impossible.

The Seaside beach is controlled by Oregon State Parks and Recreation, which does not have the manpower to monitor littering. The Seaside Police Department has jurisdiction to enforce state and local littering lawslaws that carry heavy maximum penalties. The City of Seaside has an ordinance to combat littering. City ordinance 132.08 states that someone caught littering can receive a maximum $700 and/or no more than 180 days in jail.

The State has three Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) that apply to littering. ORS 164.775 deals with the depositing of trash within 100 yards of a body of water or in the water. The Class B misdemeanor carries a maximum six months in jail and/or $2,500 in fines. Offensive litteringORS 164.085is littering that creates an objectionable stench or degrades the beauty or appearance of property or detracts from natural cleanliness or safety of property. The punishment for infraction of the Class C misdemeanor is a maximum 30 and/or a $1,250 fine. ORS 164.785 covers placing offensive substances in water, on highways or other property. An example would be the burying of a dead animal. The penalty is a Class A misdemeanor with up to a year in jail and a $6,250 fine.

If more aggressively enforced, the types of fines associated with littering would be enough of a deterrent to at least curb some of the more banal offenders. For those who are more boorish in their negligence, some citizen policing might be necessary.

Perhaps the City of Seaside and SOLV can engage in a partnership to introduce more signs about proper trash removal and the punishment for neglect. The signs should also include a telephone number people can call to report littering (738-6311). If people see that the laws will be enforced here in Seaside, and anyone with a cell phone can report someone who litters, perhaps garbage on the beach wont be such a pronounced problem. With an aggressive anti-littering campaign, a difference can be made.

The beach is a treasure. It should be regarded as thus, and not destroyed by careless or thoughtless people. It is pure laziness that people do not use the trash receptacles at the end of each street entrance to the beach. Dirty diapers, alcohol containers, used feminine products, fast food wrappers, soda cans, plastic bags and the assortment of trash that litters the beach is inexcusable. It is time to make that message clear.