An Ohio man has been indicted for allegedly collecting gasoline and dumping it down a public storm drain.

According to WFMJ, Ron Singh of Struthers, Ohio, was indicted on charges of illegal storage, treatment or disposal of hazardous waste, and water pollution after allegedly dumping gasoline down a storm drain on January 6.

Per the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Singh is accused of improperly disposing of the gasoline in an outdoor drain after it leaked from a gas pump.

Singh, identified in a local news report as the owner of the station, reportedly "no longer works there" following the incident and an ensuing Ohio EPA investigation.

The problem with disposing of oil, gas, or other chemical waste in municipal drains is that many such systems around the country drain directly into waterways nearby, unfiltered and untreated. Chemical and oil spills pollute waterways and pose serious consequences to local ecosystems, as well as the health of the community — particularly when drains empty into a body of water where people fish, swim, or even simply live near.

Gasoline can be fatal to fish and plants in and around bodies of water, and it causes serious ecological problems. Spilled oil, gas, and other chemicals are also costly to remove from waterways once introduced, requiring considerable effort and resources to remediate.

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For example, in 2024, a massive pipeline leak in southern Colorado caused soil toxicity levels to spike, risked polluting the nearby Animas River, and resulted in physical symptoms such as dizziness and headaches for locals exposed to the pollution.

According to ACTenviro, gasoline should only be disposed of at approved facilities, such as recycling centers, hazardous material disposal centers, or even local fire departments. Mechanics will often accept gas to dispose of it properly.

In many places, improper disposal of oil or gasoline in storm drains is a crime punishable by large fines. Under Ohio law, the penalty for violating water pollution laws is "not more than $10,000 per day of violation."

Although the Ohio EPA said Singh was cooperative with the investigation, he failed to appear at a hearing on the matter in late June.