In the 22 years John Thompson has held the job of Supervisor of District Three, garbage pickup on the side of the road has been a constant challenge, and the problem, he says, is increasing.

“It gets worse every year,” said Thompson. “I’ve hired as many as 20 kids during the summer to pick it up, and by winter the ditches are full again. I’ve never seen it this bad.”

Workers were picking up roadside trash on Thursday on Santee Methodist Road all the way to Williamsburg Road where a clear distinction could be seen where trash had been picked up compared to where it had not.

“People need to stop throwing trash out,” said county worker Johnny Reese pointing to where they had just cleaned up. “This is the way it needs to stay.”

Residents are encouraged to do their part in picking up trash, but more importantly not throwing it out in the first place, states Thompson. Supervisors and county workers familiar with the problem recommend carrying a small bag in your motor vehicle and discarding trash in a proper receptacle.