Local News in Brief : Trash Study Ordered

Two Los Angeles City Council members moved Tuesday to attack the problem of trash on city streets.

Councilwoman Gloria Molina won backing for a city Building and Safety Department study of delays in enforcement of municipal codes against illegal dumping of trash.

“The city is filthy,” Molina said. “I’ve spent eight months questioning why there is knee-high trash in some parts of the city; why vacant lots become dumping grounds for everyone’s trash; why routine street cleaning is not routine, and why city parks have become ‘dead parks’ riddled with trash and crime.”

In a separate action, Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky proposed a citywide ban on the use of biodegradable packaging materials to reduce the strain on overloaded landfills.