Update: The Fair Lawn Litter Marshal program received an award from the New Jersey Clean Communities Council on May 26, 2005 for the Enforcement Category.

The Litter Marshal program allows residents to anonymously report people littering in Fair Lawn so the Borough can follow up with education and enforcement. Ron Lottermann, the Borough’s Clean Communities Coordinator stated, “Litter continues to be a problem in many communities, including Fair Lawn. This program allows the Borough to take a more proactive approach to litter education and enforcement.”

Fair Lawn residents and business employees are able to join the program free of charge. A Litter Marshal Program Packet, including litter educational materials, a reporting pad, pin and a welcome letter, is sent to all Litter Marshals. The Marshals report littering incidents by calling, e-mailing or mailing information about the incident including the license plate of the vehicle, date, time and location for follow up by the Clean Communities Coordinator. By working in cooperation with the Fair Lawn Police Department, the owner of the vehicle is sent information regarding the effects of littering and the Borough anti-littering ordinance including possible fines for subsequent offenses.

The Borough of Fair Lawn is the first community in New Jersey to implement such a program and it is based upon the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s Litter Marshal program. The program is paid for through the New Jersey Clean Communities grant program. Through the grant, Fair Lawn has also held Litter Clean Up Days, has marked storm drains in the Borough denoting that the drains flow to bodies of water and have sponsored educational assemblies in the schools.

For more information about the Litter Marshal program or to join the program, call the Fair Lawn Recycling Division at 201-794-5366 or e-mail litter@fairlawn.org. Anyone wishing to report a littering or illegal dumping incident in Fair Lawn can e-mail litter@fairlawn.org or call 201-794-5341. Please include the license plate of the vehicle, location, date and time of the incident.