Illegally dumped tires and trash are turning parts of the city into dumping grounds, angering residents and raising environmental concerns. Now, state and local agencies are ramping up enforcement and using new tools to track down who’s behind the mess.Sage Michael Pellet has been fighting to end illegal dumping saying, “it lowers the quality of life for our community, but it also creates environmental injustices like all that water that these tires hold breeds mosquitoes.”New Orleans East residents said they are tired of being buried in rubber. “It doesn’t feel good to be targeted at all, where you know people are looking at your community as a dumping ground,” said Pellet.Efforts to stop illegal dumping in the area have been underway for more than a decade and according to Scott Boyle with the Department of Transportation and Development said, new technology is being used to catch those responsible.”Recently, we have installed cameras at I-10 and Michoud Blvd,” said Boyle.Those cameras captured images the New Orleans Police Department has been circulating. “We captured images of people entering the interchange with their truck loaded up to the top with sheetrock and tires, and two minutes later, they’re coming out of the other side with nothing in their truck,” said BoyleAlong with the technology, Boyle believes the city also applied for a federal grant that tackles tire-related cleanup, enforcement and prevention initiatives.”We believe that the City is the facilitator of this grant at this time, and I know they had a meeting and we had participation,” said Boyle.In July, NOPD sent out 13 alerts for persons of interest or suspects wanted for illegal dumping and three of them were arrested. In a statement, NOPD said: “Illegal dumping is a crime—and we’re treating it as such. Using technology and coordinated investigations, NOPD has made arrests, issued warrants, and opened several criminal cases tied to illegal dumping across the city. This behavior puts public health at risk, burdens taxpayers, and damages our neighborhoods. We will continue working aggressively to identify offenders and hold them accountable.””We’re fighting every day tooth and nail,” said Pellet.
Illegally dumped tires and trash are turning parts of the city into dumping grounds, angering residents and raising environmental concerns.
Now, state and local agencies are ramping up enforcement and using new tools to track down who’s behind the mess.
Sage Michael Pellet has been fighting to end illegal dumping saying, “it lowers the quality of life for our community, but it also creates environmental injustices like all that water that these tires hold breeds mosquitoes.”
New Orleans East residents said they are tired of being buried in rubber.
“It doesn’t feel good to be targeted at all, where you know people are looking at your community as a dumping ground,” said Pellet.
Efforts to stop illegal dumping in the area have been underway for more than a decade and according to Scott Boyle with the Department of Transportation and Development said, new technology is being used to catch those responsible.
“Recently, we have installed cameras at I-10 and Michoud Blvd,” said Boyle.
Those cameras captured images the New Orleans Police Department has been circulating.
“We captured images of people entering the interchange with their truck loaded up to the top with sheetrock and tires, and two minutes later, they’re coming out of the other side with nothing in their truck,” said Boyle
Along with the technology, Boyle believes the city also applied for a federal grant that tackles tire-related cleanup, enforcement and prevention initiatives.
“We believe that the City is the facilitator of this grant at this time, and I know they had a meeting and we had participation,” said Boyle.
In July, NOPD sent out 13 alerts for persons of interest or suspects wanted for illegal dumping and three of them were arrested.
In a statement, NOPD said: “Illegal dumping is a crime—and we’re treating it as such. Using technology and coordinated investigations, NOPD has made arrests, issued warrants, and opened several criminal cases tied to illegal dumping across the city. This behavior puts public health at risk, burdens taxpayers, and damages our neighborhoods. We will continue working aggressively to identify offenders and hold them accountable.”
“We’re fighting every day tooth and nail,” said Pellet.