City Attorney Feuer to Implement Plan to Prevent Illegal Dumping

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer announced today that city officials will implement plans to stop illegal dumping in nine problem areas throughout the city.

The effort will prosecute anyone who illegally dumps waste in the San Fernando Valley, South Los Angeles and the Eastside.

“It’s a quality of life problem that is among the top priorities [Los Angeles residents] have,” Feuer said.

The city attorney says that illegal dumping has continued to “threaten public health and safety,” and it needs to stop immediately.

Los Angeles City Attorney Spokesman Frank Mateljan says that there are many sources of illegal dumping that make the city hazardous.

“We find a variety of dumping that takes place across the city, from bulky items, to trash, to toxic waste and other problem materials that find their way into our alleys, our streets and, sometimes, our waterways,” Mateljan said.

City officials have received complaints about illegal dumping in the past and believe that since there are currently no repercussions, people will continue to do it.

City Councilman Jose Huizar said that the price of dumping at a disposal site may be another cause of illegal dumping, but that does not make it OK.

Los Angeles residents have already felt the impact of illegal dumping.

“I wish the people would learn not to put trash on other people’s land,” said resident Ernestine Marks. “It’s awful, it looks ugly and it’s not healthy.”

About 65 percent of calls to the city’s sanitation bureau were connected to illegal dumping, according to the Board of Public Works president Kevin James. City workers collected more than 7000 tons of illegally dumped trash in 2013. But despite issuing illegal dumping notices, results have not yet changed.