| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Affairs Specialist, 970-210-2126 |
Illegal Dumping a Local Problem, Too
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Local Bureau of Land Management officials say recent national media coverage about illegal dumping on public lands highlights a local problem.
“Each year, we spend thousands of dollars and countless staff hours cleaning up dump sites,” said Catherine Robertson, manager of the Grand Junction Field Office, which includes 1.2 million acres of public lands around Grand Junction. “National news reports mentioned Colorado’s problem with the dumping of cars, but we’ve seen all kinds of things – from abandoned mobile homes and TVs to litters of kittens.”
Dumping on public lands is a two-fold problem. It costs taxpayer money to clean up. Also, some commonly dumped items can also be classified as hazardous waste, creating unsafe areas for wildlife and people, degrading wildlife habitat, and sometimes even harming the environment.
In Fiscal Year 2009 alone, nearly 64, 000 pounds of trash was hauled off BLM land around Grand Junction, including 160 tires and 86 refrigerators/freezers/air conditioners with Freon. Just since Oct. 1, 2009, another 19,000 pounds has been cleaned up, enough to fill 18 dump trucks.
Land managers see all sorts of things at illegal dump sites, from hypodermic needles and crack pipes to dead and live animals to household furniture, and all kinds of vehicles.
When possible, BLM law enforcement officers track down the people responsible for dumping. Dumpers can be fined anywhere from $250 to $1,000, and can also be held responsible for the cost of cleanup.
“In cases of abandoned vehicles and household item dump sites, we issue violation notices and require the responsible party to clean up the mess and provide proof of proper disposal,” said Eric Boik, GJFO Supervisory Law Enforcement Ranger. “In 2009, 19 dumping cases in the Grand Junction Field office were resolved this way.”
The majority of dumping cases, however, do not get solved, and taxpayers are saddled with the costs of cleanup. Disposal costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per incident for such services as laboratory testing, staff time, and transport and disposal.
“Commonly dumped items like refrigerators and air conditioners with Freon are costly to clean up and hazardous to the environment,” said Alan Kraus, BLM hazardous materials specialist. “Electronic equipment – like television sets and computers – have heavy metals like lead in them, which can leach into the groundwater and are poisonous if ingested. Old car batteries usually have damaged cases and can leak battery acid.”
“Often people dump items like electronic appliances in the desert because the regular landfill won’t accept them and they don’t know what to do with them,” said Kraus. “Perhaps what they don’t know is the electronics recycling and hazardous materials disposal facilities are easily accessible right next to the Mesa County Landfill. Some of the items can even be taken to the hazardous waste facility for free. Sure, it might take a little more effort, and cost a little more to recycle electronics properly, but it’s still cheaper than paying a dumping fine. And you can know that your choice isn’t creating a hazard for other people on public lands, or damaging natural areas.”
The Mesa County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, located at the Mesa County Landfill, accepts household hazardous waste from Mesa County households for free and hazardous waste from small businesses for a very reasonable fee. Information on these services can be found at http://www.mesacounty.us/swm.
If you see anyone dumping trash on public lands, BLM encourages you to write down a license number, a description of the vehicle, the date, time and location, and report this information to the nearest BLM Field Office. If it’s safe to do so, a photo of a vehicle involved in the activity is also helpful. Tips from the public greatly increase BLM’s ability to track down violators.
“We encourage the public to report instances of dumping and other crimes and to provide any identifying information in a safe manner without compromising their safety,” said Boik. “With the vast amount of public land in Mesa County, many of these dumpsites would not be discovered as quickly without the public’s assistance.”
To report suspicious activity dial 911, or call the BLM Grand Junction Field Office at (970) 244-3000.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506