BATTLE CREEK, MI (WNWN/WTVB) – The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Solid Waste and Recycling Department announced a partnership on Wednesday that they say will be an initiative to end illegal dumping in Calhoun County.
Officials say items that are being left behind range from tires and appliances to mattresses, furniture, and miscellaneous household items.
(Photo courtesy Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office)
Sheriff Steve Hinkley says it is illegal to leave trash on the side of the road in undesignated areas.
If your garbage is located along the roadside, and in many cases it is possible to identify the households responsible, you could be subject to fines that could reach $500, plus possible civil clean-up expenses.
In some cases, households hire people to clean their property and the hired cleaners avoid proper disposal fees by dumping garbage in rural areas.
If you hire someone to clean up your property, request a copy of their business insurance and a disposal receipt from a landfill or garbage service.
If you see someone dumping trash or tires along the road and it is safe to do so, get a vehicle description, license plate number, and description of the occupants then report the incident to 911 immediately.
The Solid Waste and Recycling Department has started a grant program to assist with cleanup. Local groups and municipalities that are interested can apply for a grant that will support the materials needed to properly dispose of trash.
In collaboration with the local municipality, the goal is to clean up roadsides in every part of Calhoun County over the next two to three years.
The application and information about the program can be found on the Solid Waste and Recycling website, calhouncountymi.gov/recycling.
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