New technology helping to crack down on illegal dumping in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Illegal dumping has become a constant eyesore for several parts of New Orleans East, causing frustration for residents.

“It’s not the people that live out here that’ve been throwing the trash,” said New Orleans resident Edrick Brown.

Brown says it feels like he’s living by a dump.

“I don’t feel too good about it because they’re throwing it out here on the street sometimes,” said Brown.

Officials say this has been an issue for the last three years, as they’ve recovered more than 60,000 tires, mattresses and trash that were illegally discarded.

“We have people who are concerned. We have children who want to play near here. At the end of the day, we’re very, very concerned,” said New Orleans Councilman Eugune Green.

“It’s been a difficult task to keep up with. It’s a safety issue, and it’s also been a quality-of-life issue for residents in Eastern New Orleans,” said Department of Transportation and Development Spokesperson Scott Boyle.

With better cameras and technologies, Boyle says there are 13 open investigations, and several people have been arrested so far. Yet, he believes it’s more than just the average person dumping.

“Just some of the materials we’ve been seeing are contractors, and we believe it could be small tire shops that are contributing to this problem,” said Boyle.

Green hopes the recent arrests will discourage the people behind the dumping. He says, even if you are a passenger, you will be charged.

“You could stop it. And most times, someone who is with someone who’s dumping is a partner in that dumping. So, at the end of the day, that’s not an excuse. Get out of the car. You know what’s going on when you have a car full of tires in the back of a truck full of tires,” said Green.

“As law enforcement gets much more intimately involved with what’s going on over there, we’re going to see a decrease in its illegal activity. It’s going to take time to determine how we’re trending as far as the illegal dumping at these locations,” said Boyle.

Green is asking anyone looking to dispose of their tires to do it the right way. On Old Gentilly Road, there’s a tire recycler and also a proper dumping facility.

City officials said anyone who witnesses someone illegally dumping can report it to the NOPD’s Non-Emergency Report line at 504-821-2222. Illegal Dumping discovered after the fact should be reported via 311.

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