Metropolitan King County Council 516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-1000 Toll Free: 800-325-6165 TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024 Fax: 206-296-0198 council@kingcounty.gov |
Aug. 21, 2008 Getting tough on illegal dumping: Dunn introduces legislation to strengthen current dumping lawsViolators would help pay for cleanup of property
It is a growing problem in rural King County: garbage illegally dumped on private property. Metropolitan King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn today introduced legislation to strengthen King County’s current illegal dumping laws while holding dumpsters financially responsible for the damage they cause.
“Illegal dumping occurs all over unincorporated King County and especially in the rural areas of my district,” said Councilmember Dunn, “King County has a responsibility to protect our families, our property and our environment. As a resident of rural King County, I see the evidence of illegal dumping every day. This law will make people think twice before they dump garbage on our roads or property.”
Illegal dumping sites can attract rats and can become a breeding ground for disease. In 2006 and 2007, illegal dumping reports in King County numbered in the hundreds. However, actual numbers may be much higher due to the low percentage of sites actually reported.
Under the proposed ordinance, anyone convicted of illegal dumping will be charged a $100 fine. In addition, violators will pay a restitution of twice the cost of cleanup or $100 per cubic foot, whichever is greater. Half of the money collected from the restitution fee would go to the landowner who was victimized by the illegal dumping.
The ordinance will also give County agencies the ability to enforce illegal dumping laws. Previously, all incidents had to go through the standard law enforcement process, which caused most cases to be dropped or not pursued. King County has hundreds of maintenance workers and other employees on the ground who can now help enforce the law. This will dramatically increase the number of people on the lookout for illegal dumpers.
“Illegal dumping is a serious problem for public health and safety,” Dunn said. “It’s also a significant source of environmental damage. We will now have new tools for catching those who would put our citizens at risk.”
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