A month after asking citizens for their help identifying the individuals responsible for "dumping large quantities of tires in our community," investigators in Georgia believe they have caught the culprits, the Times-Georgian reported.
Three local men were arrested after they were caught dumping 25 tires off the side of Interstate 20, per the Times-Georgian.
"Illegal dumping isn't just an eyesore — it's a crime that affects our environment, property values, and the beauty of Douglas County we all love," the Douglas County sheriff's office wrote in an online post, as quoted by the Times-Georgian. "Together, we can keep our community clean and safe."
On top of the environmental and public-health risks illegal dumping poses, local municipalities can also incur significant costs cleaning up the illicit waste.
According to Tim Pounds, the Douglas County sheriff, maintenance crews have been forced to make daily visits to impacted sites in an effort to keep the community clean.
The illegal dumping has been so widespread that officials say it has affected the entire county.
"It's everywhere," said Tim Sword, a local law enforcement official, per the Times-Georgian. "They're not picking any particular spot. It's all over."
If caught, perpetrators in Georgia can be fined $1,000 for a first illegal-dumping offense and as much as $25,000 for subsequent offenses. Multitime offenders can also face up to two years in prison.
"Illegal dumping is a serious problem in many U.S. communities," according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. "It can threaten public health, safety, property values, and quality of life."
Unfortunately, the U.S. is hardly the only place dealing with the problem of illegal dumping.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 In Scotland, the owner of a moving business was fined roughly $4,500 after he was caught improperly disposing of household waste.
Similarly, in Canada, a man was fined and forced to remove polluted soil himself after it was discovered that he had been dumping used motor oil in a public park.
Experts say that by publicizing such punishments, they can discourage others from engaging in similar behavior.
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