Illegal Dumping
Part of our educational programs planned for 2015 will include raising community awareness of their role as citizens in keeping the environment of their community clean and healthy. For example, illegal dumping regulations must be enforced. However, in order for them to be enforced, violations must be reported and citizens must be informed as how and who to call when they witness what they believe to be an illegal dumping act..
The Dallas County Illegal Dumping Hotline (1-888-335-DUMP) is a 24-hour hotline for citizens to report illegal dumping in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwell, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise counties. Citizens are asked to leave as much information as possible, city and county of the incident, specific street location, license plate number and description of vehicle, personal description of violator, type of waste dumped, caller's name and telephone number, date of violation.
As an incentive to report illegal dumping, a $50 reward is given to reporting individuals if their information leads to an arrest (the City Web, 1998).
Here in Texas, we are governed by a law called the Texas Litter Abatement Act. Under this law any illegal dumping of units less than 5 pounds is a Class C misdemeanor; more than five pounds is a Class B misdemeanor; if the person caught dumping has a prior conviction for dumping, it is a Class A misdemeanor and for repeaters it becomes a felony.
For any commercial entity illegal dumping of more than five pounds of litter is classed as a felony here in Texas.
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Instead of Illegal Dumping . . .
Perhaps we need to apply our imagination more diligently regarding what we can do with items such as tires once they are no longer useful on a vehicle. For example, two possibilities are shown below: a monster for a children's play ground and a roof for someone's home.
