POLK COUNTY, Fla. — From tires to furniture, illegal dumping is a problem officials say continues to impact neighborhoods across Polk County.
Groups like Keep Polk County Beautiful Inc. (KPCB) are on the front lines, removing trash from roadways and illegal dumping sites year-round.
“We’ve collected hundreds of thousands of pounds of trash each year, and last year alone, we collected almost 11,000 tires for proper disposal,” said Katie Hayes, executive director of KPCB.
Hayes told Tampa Bay 28 reporter Rebecca Petit that they’ve already surpassed those numbers this year. She said illegal dumping isn’t just unsightly, but the impact is widespread.
“It decreases the value of your home. It decreases the value of your community. It’s the broken window syndrome. As soon as you start seeing trash, that trash grows. The community declines so, dumping, littering is bad and it affects all of us,” Hayes said.
To help combat the issue, Polk County is stepping in with a new option. County commissioners approved a one-year pilot program for a Northeast Landfill Solid Waste Customer Convenience Center. It gives residents a closer place to dispose of waste properly.
“We do get a lot of complaints of illegal dumping in the northeast region of Polk County. Loftman, Davenport and Poinciana areas so the closest site that we could use was the Haines City site,” said Brian Cogswell, Solid Waste Director.
The site is located at 4001 Bannon Island Road in Haines City. It is expected to open on June 1, with fees starting at $10 depending on vehicle type.
“It’s just going to be residents offloading their material into a 40-yard roll-off dumpster, and that dumpster will come back to the landfill,” Cogswell said.
Hayes believes this will discourage people from dumping items along the side of the road.
“I sure hope so. I definitely feel like every step makes an impact,” Hayes said.
Residents can continue to drop off their hazardous household waste at the county collection facility in Winter Haven.
Share Your Story with Rebecca
Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
.
TPD chief's memo: Assistant police chief fired over missed meetings, resistance to new firearms
Ruth Cate's claims of discrimination and retribution were determined to be "unfounded" in the city's month-long HR investigation.
