DEAR JON: Old Stage Road the ‘new’ dump

Old Stage Road, according to Monterey County Public Works, in just the past year has become the new #1 illegal dumping site in Monterey County. That makes up a majority of 150 tons of garbage illegally dumped in the county in 2014. Residents are fed up. One resident tells me that last year 7 cars were illegally dumped on Old Stage Road.

You’ll be happy to know that wherever you are in Monterey County, the public works department has had a litter abatement program for decades, and it’s a simple process to report illegal dumping. But what you may not know is what kinds of things get dumped and how much of it, it’s staggering.

Talking to residents in the area was an eye opening experience. Sergio Silva says, “Its constant people dumping their garbage here. You think it’s a dump here, people dumping sofas, garbage, mattresses, dogs, horses. It’s ridiculous people not thinking.” So it goes for residents along Old Stage Road from Hebert to Crazy Horse Canyon and beyond.

I asked Silva, what should the county do about it? “Post police 24 hours on the corner and see who’s coming to dumping the garbage.” Signs are posted that say ‘No Dumping’ in English and Spanish, but it’s been relegated to the county maintenance department to respond. And when there’s cars dumped out there, the county sheriff gets involved.

County Maintenance Manager Shawn Atkins is the man charged with managing the county’s litter abatement program and says public works crews have pulled the most tonnage out of the Old Stage Road area. They’re picking up cabinets, mattresses, yard waste, bags of trash, TV’s, sofas, appliances, tires, etc.

“Litter abatement in Monterey County is a 24/7 year round issue,” says Atkins. “What I have noticed in the last two to three years is a large spike and influx of hazardous materials being dumped alongside the roadway.”

Atkins annual litter abatement budget is over $500,000, of that, $140,000 now goes to clean up hazardous materials.

“There’s different seasons to litter, there’s a spring season and a fall season when we notice a larger influx to the dumping,” says Atkins. “We do tie the season to when the Ag community goes to the Imperial Valley to farm during the winter.”

300,000 pounds of illegal dumping occurred in Monterey County in 2014, that’s 150 tons. Bags of trash lead way with over 4,400, recyclables such as plastic, glass and cans were next in volume with over 860, over 740 tires of all sizes, 135 TV’s and 119 couches. That’s not even mentioning the cars and hazardous waste that cost extra to clean up.

So if you see illegal dumping, call the county quickly at 831-755-4800 and report it. Says Atkins, “Call it in as soon as possible, let us get it out of the field as soon as possible. What we find is when trash stays out in the environment it spawns more dumping along the same area.” Atkins says they’ll respond to you in 24 hours and have the trash hauled off within 24 to 72 hours.

“I maintain 1234 miles of road,” says Atkins, “And have the obligation to remediate illegal dumping on all 1234 miles of roadway in Monterey County, It’s a big operation.”

If you have a question for me, email me at DearJon@KionRightNow.com. You can also find me on Facebook, ‘Jon Brent KION’ and Twitter “@DearJonKBrent.”