Most people want to live in a safe and clean world, but when illegal dumping happens, communities and the environment are threatened.

Did you know that a seemingly discarded couch in a field or rolled away old car tire that became a mosquito hotel are examples of illegal dumping?

Illegal dumping is defined as the disposal, transportation for disposal, or allowance of disposal of litter or solid waste in any place other than a landfill or other approved waste disposal site. Some of the most common types of illegal dumping involves items that are difficult to dispose of including tires, landscape waste, construction debris, appliances, furniture, household garbage, chemicals, batteries, and fluorescent lights.

There is a wide range of violations in relation to illegal dumping. From Dumping out of a pick up truck to disposing of old cars on public or private property, abandoning furniture in an unauthorized place, and dumping oil or other chemicals down storm drains-illegal dumping is taken seriously and can have negative effects on the environment.

When solid waste or potentially hazardous substances are not properly disposed and managed, it can present various hazards to the environment. Rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans can be polluted by plastic products. Wildlife like fish and birds can become entangled in it or be harmed if they consume plastic waste. It can be a fire hazard. Piles of trash and discarded chemicals can combine to create combustible gases and fuel for fires.