 "Illegal dump sites can pose serious hazards to neighborhoods and
entire communities," Quinn said. "We need the help of Illinois
residents to prevent illegal dumping, and I encourage people
throughout the state to participate in keeping their communities
safe."
The new law provides for increased penalties for 250 cubic feet
of waste or 50 waste tires, and makes it a Class 4 felony. It also
increases the felony penalty for open dumping from $5,000 to
$25,000. Currently, the penalty for a first violation of the open
dumping prohibition is a Class A misdemeanor, regardless of the
quantity of waste dumped.
"The agency is grateful to the governor and to the General
Assembly for enhancing our ability to prevent illegal dumping and
protect the environment from the harm it causes," said Illinois EPA
Interim Director Lisa Bonnett. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Ann
Williams, Chicago, and Sen. John Millner, West Chicago.
Illegal dumping affects all Illinois citizens' quality of life.
Abandoned furniture, appliances and garbage can be an eyesore and
pose a potentially negative impact to property values. Illegally
disposed chemicals, tires and construction debris can pose a health
and safety risk to nearby citizens, especially children who may play
on the disposal site.
As part of the overall effort, the Illinois EPA is partnering
with the Illinois departments of Public Health and Natural Resources
and the office of the attorney general in a statewide effort to
prevent illegal dumping. The idea is to stop each small dumping
event from becoming a larger potential threat to public health and
the environment and a costly mess that must be cleaned up with
taxpayers' money.
[to top of second column] |
An example of the consequences of unchecked open dumping occurred
at Markham. In April 2010, the Illinois EPA was alerted by the city
of Markham to a tire fire at a nearby illegal dump site. An agency
inspection revealed discarded mobile homes, automobile parts, boats,
tires, drums and totes of unknown liquids and solids, construction
material residue, gas cylinders, spills on the ground, swimming pool
chemicals, and various other debris. It was apparent that dumping
activities had been going on for many years. The Illinois EPA
arranged for the site to be cleaned up, at a cost of over $1
million, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency removed the
various hazardous wastes at additional costs.
Catching and punishing illegal dumpers saves taxpayers money and
protects the public against the environmental and health risk that
the dumps can create.
[Text from
Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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