The Macon-Bibb County, GA Solid Waste Department is on a mission to stop illegal dumping in Bibb County communities. Sanitation crews cleaned Bells Terrace street in Unionville after it was reported that more trash, scraps, and abandoned items were blocking the road. “They just use it as a city dump and it’s ridiculous,” Resident Julie Bowdoy said.
The Solid Waste Department removed tons of debris, scraps, and trash, but Bowdoy says illegal dumping continues to happen in her area. “They do it in broad daylight, they come back and we catch them, and they say, well everyone else dumps here why can’t we,” Bowdoy said. “Take it where yall stay at, we live here.”
It’s considered a hot spot, one man who wishes not to be identified has seen several people dump items in the street before. “As I walk through here every day, I am a neighbor over here and I just shake my head because it’s not right for nobody to be dumping over here,” The man said. “ Even when they have signs over here.”
He says it’s time for residents to come together to address the issue. “Somebody needs to talk up, and find out who’s dumping this, it could be toxic and could be killing people,” The man said. Solid Waste Director Pat Raines says the estimated cost for the disposal fee was more than $400. “We removed three truckloads which were about 10 ½ and cost us about $400 for the disposal fee,” Raines said. “What you see left is probably another three truckloads, another 10 ½ tons, so we have about three truckloads left here.”