NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— A New Orleans councilman has a possible solution to stop illegal trash dumping that happens all over the city — Councilman Eugene Green has an idea to catch the people who are doing it.
This problem is beyond a few cans are cigarette butts on the ground. We’re talking about things like couches, and tires, and construction materials.
Shona Hudon and her neighbors in Treme are frustrated by what they say is a lack of response from the city on trash and debris in their neighborhood.
According to Hudon, “It’s really frustrating. I feel like we do our best to bring it to the attention of the authorities who should be taking care of it and they’re just ignoring us, that’s what it feels like.”
“Nothing happens, at least that’s the way it feels because it stays there and it grows and we just have to live with it. Meanwhile, Mardi Gras comes and goes, second lines comes and goes and all of that trash magically gets picked up so we know it can get picked up,” said neighbor Jalence Isles.
Eugene Green is the councilman in District D and he cites repeat illegal dumpers as complicating the trash problem citywide, and he says that help is on the way, “We have a responsibility as a city to try to get that stopped, but unfortunately its gotten to the point that you can tell people about it, you can ask them about it but now you have to seize their vehicles and fine them, and also provide rewards to citizens. We’re commencing with that shortly.”
Green meet us near the I-610 and St. Bernard Ave. at a spot that was recently cleaned before it was dumped on again.
Neighbor Charlotte Neville stated that it was cleared 3 weeks ago, and someone dumped on the area 3 days later.
Green says just as the residents are fed up, so are city workers, “What’s frustrating is that there are so many people still, who use New Orleans, especially low-income communities or areas they can hide as a dump.”
The ordinance Councilman Green is referring to New Orleans City Council Calendar NO 34,003 which reads in part, “All motor vehicles which are used, or intended to be used, to transport, or in any manner to facilitate a violation of 66-282(b) through (c) of this chapter, shall be impounded and subject to forfeiture.”
That ordinance was passed by the council in February and sent to the mayor’s desk for signature.
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