Other government agencies who have litter control apprehending officers:

• Mayors Office
• Department of Public Works
• Department of Public Safety
• Department of Public Health and Environmental Services
• Division of Fish and Wildlife
• Coastal Resources Management
• Department of Land and Natural Resources
• Marianas Visitors Authority

Littering

The Commonwealth Litter Control Act of 1989 defines littering as throwing, dropping, placing, depositing, sweeping, discarding, abandoning, or otherwise disposing of any litter on land or water in other than appropriate litter containers or areas designated for such purpose. Litter means garbage, trash, rubbish, refuse, carcasses, construction materials, debris, or any other disposable item of whatever nature. A person found guilty of littering may be fined up to $500! Litterbugs may also be ordered to remove the litter, or pay for its removal out of their own pockets.

Open dumping/Illegal dumping

DEQ enforcement officers frequently encounter open dumps in the CNMI. Open dumps are areas in which a collection of garbage is ‘dumped.’ Open dumps are illegal and are susceptible to burning when exposed to elements, vectors or scavengers. Open dumps on private or public lands may result in the issuance of an Administrative Order and may be assessed a civil penalty of a maximum of $25,000 per violation. Illegal dumping is disposal of large amounts of waste in an unpermitted area. Littering and Illegal dumping can cause many problems to the community and environment: