City of San Antonio launches educational campaign to stop illegal dumping, focuses on cleanup efforts

SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management will release an educational campaign in an effort to stop illegal dumping.

The town is already making an investment extra money into tackling the clean-up efforts, however now it’s time to train the general public.

Desire Orria Soto is aware of precisely when folks illegally sell off their trash in and round her community at all times.

“It happens at random times of the day. Sometimes it’ll happen in broad daylight,” she mentioned.

Soto lives only a few blocks from a prolonged dumpsite off Badger Street and I-10. Everyone in the neighborhood sees the piles of trash.

“It makes the neighborhood just look cheap and bad,” she mentioned.

Crews with the San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department had been out for the second one time in two weeks, clearing off piles of trash Tuesday. Andrew Gutierrez, director of the Solid Waste Management Department, mentioned illegal dumping poses a bigger environmental danger.

“You see anything from trash, of course, household trash, furniture, and brush. You see a lot of board fencing and some hazardous materials,” he mentioned.

The town’s 11-member staff is devoted to clearing illegal dumpsites and homeless encampments.

Last yr, the staff cleared 9,000 websites and picked up 2,400 heaps of trash. The purpose for this yr is 11,000 websites and three,000 heaps. The town has additionally allotted greater than $500,000 to lend a hand the staff with apparatus.

“Illegal dumping attracts more illegal dumping, and so it’s in our best interest to get it off the ground as soon as possible,” Gutierrez defined.

The division will strongly focal point on teaching the general public concerning the to be had sources and places the place bulk and particles may also be disposed of correctly.

In the summer time, the dept teamed up with San Antonio police in an undercover operation that led to the arrest of 3 folks suspected of illegal dumping.

“We’re going to be doing a lot more of these this year. So if you’re dumping, and you get caught. You’re going to have a bad day,” Gutierrez mentioned.

For extra Solid Waste Management Department sources, click here.