As the government shutdown heads towards a third week, the garbage is piling up in National Parks across the country. While the parks remain open to visitors, many of the services that help keep the parks clean are not running. The National Parks Service has been forced to operate with minimal staff, leaving a small number of people to empty trash and recycling bins, while forcing the closure of ranger stations and restrooms.
In Yosemite National Park, the situation became so bad that officials were forced to close two campgrounds due to public safety reasons.
“With restrooms closed, some visitors are opting to deposit their waste in natural areas adjacent to high-traffic areas, which creates a health hazard for other visitors,” National Parks Service spokesman Andrew Munoz explained to the Los Angeles Times.
In some parks, local residents have joined together to help the area clean. In Joshua Tree national park local businesses are helping to empty overflowing trash cans and setting up portable toilets for park goers to use.
With no end in sight for the government shutdown, officials are concerned about the long-term impact on the National Parks.
“We’re afraid that we’re going to start seeing significant damage to the natural resources in parks and potentially to historic and other cultural artifacts,” John Garder, senior budget director of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association told the Associated Press. “We’re concerned there’ll be impacts to visitors’ safety.”
Photo: Getty Images