A Real Trashy Situation

Lance Herrington, owner of the Timeless Texas Classics auto dealership on SH 71 east of La Grange, brought two sacks of garbage to the Fayette County Commissioners Court meeting last Thursday.

Inside the bags were labels and marketing materials for Yellawood treated lumber destined for sale at Home Depot stores. Herrington said the materials were attached to stacks of lumber that come from the Yellawood plant in Columbus. He said the materials fly off the lumber being transported by 18-wheelers on SH 71.

“This is stuff I picked up week after week after week,” Herrington said. “They staple this stuff on and they don’t secure it any other way. Every week when I’m out mowing I pick this stuff up.”

Herrington said he has tried to address the problem with officials in Colorado County, but nothing has been done about it.

“I have filed a complaint with the police department,” Herrington said. “I’ve tried to contact Yellawood, but they won’t return my calls. If this amount of stuff is within 1,600 feet (of highway frontage), then how much is there in the 20 miles to here?”

Herrington said he hopes Fayette County officials can help to rectify the problem.

“How can we stop this?” he asked.

Commissioners could not take any action on the item since it was not on last Thursday’s meeting agenda.

“I just wanted to bring this to your attention,” Herrington told the Commissioners.

The Record reached out to Yellawood last week to ask if the company was aware of the problem and what steps they are taking to prevent the littering on SH 71. So far, Yellawood has not responded.