Rhode Island § 2-15-7 - Protection of Trees and Plants Generally

§ 2-15-7. Throwing of debris prohibited.

(a) No person, or agent of a firm or corporation, shall:

(1) Deposit or throw any advertisement within the limits of any public way or grounds, or upon private premises or property, unless the advertisement is left at the door of the residence or place of business of the occupant of the premises or property;

(2) Throw, dump, or deposit or cause to be thrown, dumped, or deposited bottles, glass, crockery, cans, scrap metal, junk, paper, garbage, old automobiles or parts, refuse of whatever nature, or any noxious thing on the public highway or within the limits of the highway right-of-way, or on lands or waters adjoining a public highway, without the consent of the owners of those lands or waters; or

(3) Throw, dump, or deposit or cause to be thrown, dumped, or deposited refuse or noxious things over the sides or approaches of any bridge or culvert into any stream or watercourse.

(b) The tree warden, department of transportation, the department of environmental management, or the park commission of any town or city, as the case may be, may provide suitable locations equipped with proper fireplaces on the roadside of any public highway or on other public grounds under their jurisdiction for the building of fires, and equipped with trash cans for the deposit of rubbish or debris, the use of these locations and fireplaces to be subject to proper regulations. The fireplaces and the regulations governing their use shall meet with the approval of the director of environmental management.

(c) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500). Any violation shall be heard by the traffic tribunal in accordance with § 31-41.1-6.