Forward-thinking solution for illegal dumping

This photo shows an illegal dump underneath the 17th Street West Huntington Bridge. As quickly as the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) cleans it up, a new dump appears.

Local community activist, John Queen, made this comment elsewhere on our blog concerning his forward-thinking solution for eliminating illegal dumping. He is right-on!

"Mr. Cobb: Been posting about some (legal) dump sites that we could create to provide disposal sites around the city where we could use containers to make it easy to dump, instead of the alleys. I saw one in Warfield, Ky. They built an entrance where you can drive up, show city I.D. and back your truck to three large containers. They charge $5.00 a load. The thing pays for itself. It's used so much they have opened several more in Martain County.

If volunteers would offer to man the sites, it could really help attacking trash. It would take some investment, but with all the money we spend in CDBG money this might be an idea. Have run it by the city, but no forward thinking. Thought it might be something (in which) you would be interested." (Edited)

John Queen

The Cabell County Solid Waste Authority, the Cabell County Government and the Huntington City Council should meet and work out a plan to provide decentralized solid waste stations for citizens to dispose of solid waste in an orderly manner.