Over 87,000 pounds of litter were collected across Marion County during the month of August.
The monthly Solid Waste Operations report will be presented to the Marion County Board of Commissioners during its meeting on Tuesday morning.
The report shows that during the month, just over 48,000 pounds of litter were collected by community service workers. Nearly 32,000 pounds were collected by county staff, contract employees, and mow/litter specialists. Inmates collected 7,100 pounds of litter during the month.
The report shows that code enforcement officers conducted 61 investigations during the month. Officers issued four civil fines, each for $68, for illegal dumping of waste weighing less than 15 pounds.
Code officers routinely provide spot checks at all recycling centers across the county to verify users are not commercial businesses, are not living outside of Marion County, and are not disposing of inappropriate types of refuse.
According to the report, recycling centers across Ocala recycled nearly 650,000 pounds of furniture, and 135,000 pounds of electronic waste and tires.
The recycling totals across the county have steadily declined over the past three months. In July, the county reported that 102,000 pounds of litter was collected. In June, that number was 108,000 pounds, and in May, it was 118,000 pounds.
Last year, 1.5 million pounds of litter were collected throughout the county.