925 Kerper Court Dubuque, IA 52001-2405 Phone: 563-589-4250 Fax: 563-589-4252
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2017
MEDIA CONTACTS: John Foster, DMASWA Agency Administrator, jfoster@cityofdubuque.org, 563-589-4250 Kurt Kramer Illegal Dumping Enforcement Office, kurt.kramer@dubuquecounty.us, 563-556-6745
TAKING A STAND AGAINST ILLEGAL DUMPING IN DUBUQUE COUNTY
Illegal dumping is not only a crime - it carries a large price tag. Over $100,000 is spent in Dubuque County annually to clean up illegal dump sites and litter. Cleanup crews found furniture, tires, old electronics, appliances, yard debris and other unwanted items in cities and rural areas throughout our county. Illegal dumping doesn't just happen at remote locations. Playgrounds, schoolyards, commercial developments, parks, vacant lots, stormwater detention areas, and other publicly and privately owned properties are often burdened with the responsibility of cleaning up illegally discarded items.
A county-wide task force was established in 2011 to combat illegal dumping and littering in Dubuque County. The Dubuque Area Task Force on Illegal Dumping and Illegal Littering includes representatives from the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency, the Dubuque County Conservation Board, the City and County of Dubuque Attorneys, the Dubuque County Sheriff's Department, the City of Dubuque Police Department, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Dubuque County Roads Department, the City of Dubuque Public Works and Heath Departments, and Keep Dubuque County Clean & Green.
One key strategy in Dubuque County is the Illegal Dumping Enforcement Officer, who follows up on information from the public and issues citations to offenders for illegal dumping, littering, and trespassing.
Taking a stand against illegal dumping and littering requires all of us to get involved. Groups can “Adopt a County Road” or “Adopt a Highway” through programs with the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors and the Iowa Department of Transportation. Also, the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency provides safety vests, gloves, trash bags, litter pickup tools, and trash bag pickup/disposal for groups volunteering for cleanup projects.
To report an illegal dump site, go to www.dmaswa.org and click on the link provided – or call 563-556-6745. To report information regarding illegal dumpers, call the Dubuque County Sheriff's office at 563-583-1711. Simple actions such as immediately reporting any illegal dumping that you see occurring, or reporting the location of an illegal dump that you may discover, can help keep Dubuque county's relatively small problem from growing.