A man was arrested after he allegedly illegally dumped dangerous construction materials in a children's play area.
Illegal dumping is an eyesore wherever it happens, but a children's playground should be the last place that hazardous construction materials are left. However, according to the New Haven Register, an 18-year-old resident of Orange, Connecticut, did just that.
Anthony Santos was arrested by Officer Joseph Kubik after allegedly being spotted illegally dumping building materials in the Pease Road Playground. Rather than taking the trash to a local facility to dispose of it properly, the young man apparently tried to avoid paying a fee by making the mess someone else's problem.
Santos was charged with littering on public land, misuse of license plates, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and driving without insurance, according to a Facebook post by the Woodbridge Police Department.
It's not just junk, tools, and wires that could put kids in a playground at risk; construction waste such as dust, lead, solvents, and cement can pose real dangers to the health of people, animals, and the environment.
In general, illegal dumping can ruin the beauty of a natural area. If left for a long time, discarded trash can rot and attract disease-spreading vermin.
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Dumped electrical goods can be a fire hazard and could even cause explosions if rained on.
Often, illegal dumping happens in areas that are already filled with trash, so it is best to report sightings to local law enforcement or environmental agencies.
If you have a spare afternoon, getting involved in a local litter-picking session or community gardening activity is a great way to connect with neighbors, make your area beautiful, and create cleaner and safer spaces for all.
One Facebook user thanked the officer who made the arrest and commented: "The playground took a lot of work to build and should be a clean, safe space for all. The nerve to, one, litter in this way and, two, to come from a neighboring town to do it!"
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"These kids have no respect," another remarked.
"Nice work, WPD," a commenter added. "Dumpers need to be dealt with swiftly."
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