The City of Austin is catching illegal dumpers in the act thanks to a solar powered camera system.
On June 26Th, a motion sensitive surveillance camera caught a man pulling up to a known dump site in East Austin and unloading a bed frame.
When confronted by code compliance officers he confessed to the crime.
Just down the road, in another sparsely populated neighborhood a mound of tires litters a field. A sign says no dumping, but it didn’t stop someone from leaving a coach on the side of the road.
“I’ve seen trailers full of trash, come back empty,” said Daniel Figueroa, an Austin resident who says the problem has only worsened over the years.
“It’s unsafe trash. Mattresses, refrigerators and that’s the type of trash that gets dangerous,” said Figueroa.
The piles of trash aren’t just eyesores. They are also bad for the environment, and cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to clean up.
Code Compliance manager Ron Potts says illegal dumping is on the rise.
“Because of the economy people aren’t taking items to the landfill and paying for it. So they are dumping on the streets, private property, and city right of ways,” said Potts.
In April, a city surveillance camera caught two men dumping a motorcycle that was stolen in Beaumont.
“We are starting to see a lot more success with it because we're dedicating the manpower and the time and we are expanding our program,” said Potts.
The city will add eight additional camera systems in August thanks to a $20,000 dollar grant.
That’s when a code compliance officer will review the images full time in hopes of cleaning up a dirty problem.
“I was born and raised in Austin and this is sad. Real sad,” said Figueroa.
Illegal dumping can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the type and amount of material.
Fines range from $10,000 to two years in jail.
Austin residents have various alternatives to illegal dumping. Residents may bring up to 30 gallons of home generated hazardous waste to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility free of charge. It is located at 2514 Business Center Drive.
You can find more information at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/residential_hazardous_waste.htm#location.
The city also conducts bulk item trash collection at various times throughout the year. The pickup includes passenger tires, appliances, and nail free lumber. You can find more information at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/residential_bulk.htm.
