Illegal Dumping Creating Big, Expensive Mess In San Joaquin County
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Trash continues to pop up all over San Joaquin County and it's not only creating a big mess, but community leaders say it's becoming quite expensive.
Right now, county supervisors are looking for ways to help keep the community clean. Property owners say people doing the illegal dumping are striking in the early hours when it's dark and no one is around.
Richard Morin spends a lot of time keeping his property in rural San Joaquin County clean. Unfortunately, every other morning he ends up finding other people's trash.
"You know what? People dump a lot, they are always dumping off their mattresses and old furniture," he said.
The country road next to his place has also become a dumping site. Piles of old appliances, television sets, and even tires lie on the road.
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San Joaquin County supervisors are working on a solution to the growing problem. They say illegal dumping around the community is costing the county lots of money.
San Joaquin County Supervisor Chuck Winn the public works department's spending on illegal dumping increased from $762,000 in 2015 to almost $1.2 million now. Winn said the costs are expected to increase.
Supervisor Winn has suggested a plan that may include a vehicle seizure ordinance for cars used for illegal dumping. He's also looking considering creating cleanup and beautification programs.
"Unfortunately, [what] I think it says about our community is that we have been normalized to throwing things out our windows and dumping things. I think the real issue is educating people to know the cost and the hazards," said Winn.
The county has three facilities where people can drop off trash including tires, mattresses, and electronics. There are also programs that are free people can find on the county's website.