MILWAUKEE — A growing problem in Milwaukee keeps piling up.
Some people are dumping their garbage wherever they please, despite the risk of being fined up to $5,000.
It is leaving a costly stain on our pocketbooks, and the environment.
We went along with Milwaukee Public Works to show us what they have to clean up.
They took us to an alley in Sherman Park off of Burleigh where some people are using it as an illegal dumping site.
Neighbor David tells us he's witnessed people, "Coming with truckloads and dumping stuff. It's horrible!"
Damien Curry named some of the items he's seen in those unsightly piles, "Drywall, tires, couches, mattresses, dressers."
The extra work put on Milwaukee's Department of Public Works (DPW) is paid for by the taxpayers.
What we saw on Tuesday is just scraping the surface.
Here's a before and after of another illegal dumping site behind a building:
Another alley was cleaned up, in just the past week:
Not only is this diverting DPW workers from picking up your garbage, but it is also hazardous!
"Sometimes they're dumping mattresses, people are bouncing and jumping off of them," said Jeffery Smith with DPW.
Smith adds that you can report illegal dumping anonymously, and get up to a $1,000 reward if someone is caught and convicted, "A license plate or description or video would even be great."
While DPW and taxpayers continue to clean up these illegal dump sites, it is going to take the entire community to put a stop to illegal dumping. The hope is to bring pride back into our great neighborhoods.
There are two drop-off center locations in Milwaukee:
- South: 3879 W Lincoln Avenue
- North: 6660 N Industrial Road (must enter Industrial Road from Mill Road)
- Visit the city's website to learn more about the hours, accepted items, and fees associated with the safe disposal of waste.
