Written by Brittany Corl, Land Use and Environmental Services
Dumping your trash wherever and whenever you want isn’t cool. It’s actually illegal and can land you in jail and result in heavy fines. In North Carolina, getting rid of your trash, appliances, furniture, tires, construction materials, and more in unauthorized areas is a crime.
When it comes to our community, illegal dumping can cause several problems.
Health Risks
Dumpsites are the perfect situation for insects, rodents, and other pests. Add rain and it becomes the prime breeding area for mosquitoes. Besides their pesky bites, they can transmit serious diseases and viruses to humans, such as malaria and West Nile virus. Mosquitoes can also target dogs and horses with several diseases and parasites, including heart worms and West Nile virus.
Safety Risks
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality says these illegal dumping sites pose serious safety risks with fires, chemicals, and gas.
Chemical hazards are found in batteries, epoxies, shingles, ceiling tile, vinyl flooring, drywall, lead-based paint, and other trash. As the waste decomposes, gases are emitted into the air, including methane. At certain levels, it’s explosive.
Waterway Issues
Dumped trash can prevent water from draining properly, causing flooding. It can also send chemicals and trash itself into our local streams and waterways.
Community Issue
Illegal dumping usually happens in remote, poorly lit places, according to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. Areas that see little foot traffic as well as have no waste containers are often littered with waste. The DEQ says once a spot is full of trash, it acts “as a magnet for more dumping and other criminal activities.”
What should you do if you see illegal dumping?
- If you witness illegal dumping, call the police. Remember, it’s a crime.
- Email us the license plate number, date, time, location, and brief description of what happened to SolidWaste@MeckNC.gov.
- If you come across it (and don’t witness it), call your local town or city to report it.
- Volunteer to help clean up illegal dumping with local Park & Recreation, Storm Water and Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful!
Residents and businesses can bring unwanted items to any of Mecklenburg County’s full-service centers for disposal: WipeOutWaste.MeckNC.gov.