We've probably all seen one of those "Keep Our Community Clean" signs at one point or another in our lives. While the concept is simple, it can certainly become a much more difficult task when community members engage in harmful acts such as illegal dumping.
As Click 2 Houston reported, a trucking company is facing felony charges after being accused of illegally dumping more than 22,000 pounds of dirt on city-owned property.
According to Houston police environmental investigators, the incident occurred in early December when a commercial dump truck from D. Garza F Trucking LLC dumped 10 tons of dirt on city property without previous approval.
A resident caught the act on camera and later informed the police. As a result, the company and owner, Demetrio Garza-Flores, were slapped with felony commercial illegal dumping charges.
Officials say Garza-Flores admitted to being behind the wheel during the illegal dumping. He told investigators that a Houston-area pool company hired his company to remove and dump the dirt.
Investigators claim that Garza-Flores chose the site to dump the dirt because it was closer than a landfill and offered him a chance to avoid a costly dumping fee.
"This arrest is a start," one commenter noted in the comment section.
Thanks to an uptick in illegal dumping, the city of Houston is attempting to address the ongoing issue through its One Clean Houston initiative. The program combines enhanced surveillance, rapid cleanup, and stricter enforcement to try to eliminate large piles of debris, particularly in areas that repeat offenders have targeted.
In 2023, the city enacted its first annual One Clean Houston Dump Day. In a press release announcing the event, the city noted that it provided complementary disposal at two of the city's largest disposal facilities.
"Illegal dumping is a serious problem that affects the health and safety of our residents and the environment," then-Mayor Sylvester Turner said in the press release. "One Clean Houston Dump Day is an opportunity for all Houstonians to come together and take action in their community to keep our city clean and beautiful."
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