An Ohio man was forced to pay $2K in restitution for illegal dumping under a city bridge in the state, reported WKBN 27. Originally, the defendant, Samuel Horvath, was charged with three counts of illegal or open dumping and burning, but charges were changed for a plea agreement in early May.
Dumping is prohibited in the U.S. as it can have a significant impact on public health, the environment, and the community. There are also significant economic losses posed to communities where illegal dumping takes place, as cleaning up the waste is said to drain tax dollars. The city of Camden, in New Jersey, told the Center for Community Progress that the city spent "$4 million a year responding to illegal dumping."
Horvath was accused of dumping tires in 2022. The Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation described the impact of illegal tire dumping. They stated that scrap tires become "a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus" and that they can also "leach toxic chemicals that contaminate soil and water," severely risking the lives of humans and the environment.
Combined with burning, a charge originally given to Horvath in November, it's extremely difficult to put out tire fires. Burning tires can further cause severe air pollution and decompose into oil, disturbing the groundwater.
The Center for Community Progress has been working on ways to mitigate illegal dumping for years. After years of research, some suggestions for cities include maintaining vacant sites and chronic dumping areas, increasing lighting and signage, installing low-cost fencing, creating more public art, increasing availability of proper disposal options, and getting communities involved.
To take a stand on illegal dumping in your community, talk to your neighbors and friends about ways to increase signage. Also, lead by example, always dispose of trash and recycling in the proper areas. For goods that still have some years left in them, be sure to find a thrift store.
In areas with chronic dumping, like Flint, Michigan, mitigating methods seemed to have worked. As the Center for Community Progress wrote, "the interventions also made residents feel better about their neighborhoods, seeing these places not just free of debris, but more cared for."
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