- Hilton Head recently passed a new ordinance aimed at curbing trash.
- Locals may first be issued a warning, and could then be fined.
- Businesses could have their licenses revoked if they skirt the law.
If you live in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, leaving trash in your car could now cost you up to $500, or even land you in jail. Yes, really. Local officials have introduced the unusual rule as part of a push to tackle the town’s growing rat problem, and it has only just taken effect. Unsurprisingly, the measure is already shaping up to be a contentious one among residents,
The town’s new local ordinance states that “it shall be unlawful for any person to place, leave, dump or permit to accumulate any garbage, rubbish or trash in any building, vehicle and their surrounding areas in the town so that the same shall or may afford food or harborage for rats.” Under the municipal code, any breach of this rule “shall constitute a nuisance.”
Read: Drivers In South Carolina Will Soon Face $500 Fines Just For Not Switching Lanes
The rule officially took effect on February 1. Anyone caught violating it can face a fine of up to $500, and in some cases, up to 30 days in jail, if authorities determine that trash has accumulated in a way that could attract or shelter rodents.
What Counts As Garbage Accumulation?
It’s also worth noting just how ambiguous the wording of the new ordinance is. It provides no definition as to what constitutes an accumulation of garbage, rubbish or trash, and whether this could perhaps be a single discarded energy drink can, or if a vehicle would need to be almost overflowing with rubbish. This means it may come down to the discretion of local law enforcement officials.
The rules do outline how penalties escalate. Officials may begin with a written warning. After that, the ordinance allows for a fine of up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation within any 12-month period, and up to $500 for each additional violation within the same 12-month window. There is another catch. Every day the violation remains unresolved can be treated as a “separate offense.”
Interestingly, the rule extends beyond private vehicles. Anyone who owns, manages, operates, or acts as a business agent for a local establishment could face additional consequences if they violate the ordinance. In those cases, the town has the authority to suspend or revoke the business license tied to the offending operation.
How strictly officials plan to enforce the rule remains unclear. But for locals, it may be wise to keep the car a little tidier than usual, just in case that forgotten soda can becomes more than just annoying clutter.