Nearly 5,000 Bags of Trash Collected by State Inmates in First Week of Governor Brewer's Operation Clean Sweep

Nearly 5,000 Bags of Trash Collected By State Inmates

First Week Success for Governor Brewer’s Operation Clean Sweep

PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Corrections inmates collected nearly 5,000 bags of litter and debris from the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 in the first week of Operation Clean Sweep, Governor Jan Brewer announced Monday.

Up to 100 inmates from three institutions stretched along 70 miles of roadway between Tucson and Phoenix last week and completed litter removal along the westbound lanes.

“Our difficult economy has required the elimination of 20 percent of state government spending,” said Governor Brewer. “Using inmates
to remove litter from the road is an inexpensive government reform effort and a creative way to clean up a major Arizona commerce and tourism corridor,” Brewer said.

This week, those inmates move to the eastbound lanes. The project came out of Brewer’s instructions to state agencies to save state resources while still providing services taxpayers expect. ADC is partnering with the Arizona Department of Transportation to saturate the busy stretch of highway to remove litter.

In the first week, inmates collected 4,200 bags of litter plus 700 bags of rubber debris. Corrections Director Charles L. Ryan said inmates are paid 50 cents per hour.

“The inmates are performing an important community service and saving the state money,” Ryan said. “For a little more than $300 a day, I-10 is getting an extreme makeover that drivers will notice.”

ADOT Director John Halikowski said he is looking at expanding the partnership.

“We will continue looking at alternatives to provide services Arizonans expect even in these hard times,” Halikowski said.