Derby residents concerned about littering from free newspapers left in yards

The City of Derby says The Wichita Eagle's free newspaper, Neighbors, is distributed to approximately 6,800 households each week.

Some residents, like Nick Sharp, are concerned that the paper is causing littering in the city.

"It's just accumulating more trash, you know. You got plastic bags that aren't recyclable," Sharp said."Its just more stuff going to the landfill that nobody wanted in the first place."

Deputy City Manager, Kiel Mangus, says the city council has been working on an ordinance to address the problem. Some ideas would include deliverers putting the newspapers on porches, sticking them in-between doors, and only delivering them to people who want the newspaper.

"This has been an issue in Derby that's come and gone and come back," Mangus says. "Free newspaper product and other products get distributed around town in driveways tend to end up in the gutter, stacked up in drive ways not picked up. So its just kind of a litter issue that people have brought concerns."

According to the city, the Wichita Eagle opposes the ordinance and would rather work on cleaning-up its distribution process, including how it throws its newspaper, and its publisher would work on a website that would allow residents to add a "do not deliver status" to their address.

The Derby City Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 26 to talk about this again.