Illegal dumping ‘a huge problem in the desert,’ official says
From Staff Reports
Illegal dumping doesn’t pay, but reporting it can. At the Oct. 28 Town Council meeting, Burrtec Waste Industries presented a check for $500, a reward that will be given to a local citizen for reporting the illegal dumping of materials on commercial property.
The citizen, who wished to remain anonymous, caught the activity on a security camera and reported it to the town’s Code Enforcement Department. From the images, officers tracked down the dumpers using the license plate on the vehicle they were driving during the crime. They were convicted in court and fined $125.
“Illegal dumping continues to be a huge problem in the desert,” said Jim Andersen, code enforcement manager. “The town of Apple Valley Code Enforcement Community Enhancement Crew annually picks up well over 100,000 pounds of trash from the desert. If caught in the act, violators will be issued a criminal citation to appear in court and their vehicle will be impounded for 30 days.”
Burrtec Waste Industries offers rewards of $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of illegal dumpers.
There are several methods available to report illegal dumping:
• call Code Enforcement at 760-240-7560;
• call the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Apple Valley Station at 760-240-7400;
• go to www.AppleValley.org and click on “Let us Know” at the top of any page;
• go to www.AVCode.org and click on “Let us Know”;
• use the Government Outreach app for smart phones; search the App Store or Marketplace for “GORequest.”
The town offers many convenient and free ways to discard household trash and bulky items. Visit www.AVCode.org for more information.