Months of investigative work led police to a man accused of dumping thousands of pounds of trash in Texas.
The Atascosa County Fire Marshal's Office said 37-year-old Gumaro Barragan-Armendariz was arrested on felony charges of illegal dumping, the Pleasanton Express reported in May. Police began their investigation in March.
Investigators said they discovered more than 5,000 pounds of trash dumped on the side of the road. Later, authorities located another 4,000 pounds of waste. The trash was collected and disposed of properly.
Illegal dumping isn't an uncommon occurrence across the country. Earlier this year, police arrested a man accused of dumping more than 500 pounds of waste in North Carolina. Meanwhile, one Missouri city began removing decades of waste related to illegal dumping.
The United States is responsible for more than 12% of the world's trash, per Environment America. The organization reported that Americans discard nearly 5 pounds of trash per person every day. Most of that trash ends up in landfills.
In addition to soil and water pollution, waste emits air pollution too. The sector accounts for approximately 20% of human-driven methane emissions worldwide, according to the Clean Air Task Force. Methane and other polluting gases contribute to the warming of the planet. The changing climate can lead to extreme weather events such as wildfires and hurricanes. It can also have harmful effects on human health, the Environmental Protection Agency reported.
According to the EPA, consumers should visit their municipality's website to learn more about the proper ways of disposing of recyclable and nonrecyclable waste. While disposing of items correctly is crucial, reducing consumer waste remains the best way to prevent pollution.
Replacing single-use plastic packaging with reusable products is an easy way for consumers to reduce waste and save money. Americans spend an average of $260 per year on disposable water bottles. Purchasing a reusable bottle not only helps the planet, but it's a smart financial move too.
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