Columbus officials have announced new measures to address illegal dumping.
Mike Foley reports.
While the city notes that current enforcement efforts have caught illegal dumpers in the act and helped the Division of Fire apprehend an arsonist, it's still a concern in various neighborhoods.
The city will track and map its 311 website and service center call line complaints to identify illegal dumping hot spots. Officials will then form a multi-departmental response that will include assessments of the areas to determine if they require more lighting. In some cases, 90 gallon containers could replace the 300 gallon receptacles, which often attract illegal dumpers.
As part of Mayor Ginther's Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy, the city will invest $500,000 to expand neighborhood safety cameras in problematic areas. Officials say this will also help reduce other criminal activity.
The Division of Refuse will also increase the number of cameras used by Solid Waste inspectors to covertly record areas that are prone to illegal dumping.
