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New Security Systems For ECISD
Thousands of Illegally Dumped Tires Pile Up In Ector County, Sending Many To Jail 7/28/2012
Felicia Bolton
fbolton@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
July 28, 2012
Odessa, Texas - Officials stated that businesses and individuals are illegally dumping their tires across Ector County. Now one task force is putting the brakes on this growing issue.
Illegally dumped tires piling up and the Ector County Health Department is cracking down on violators.
"The fines can be up to $500, plus you can get 6 moths in jail also," said Ted Yelley with the Ector County Health Department.
Dumping just one 5 lb tire is a class b misdemeanor, which hundreds of Ector County Residents have been ticketed or arrested for. In one site alone, there are thousands upon thousands of illegally dumped tires. Many business owners stated it's a growing problem here in Odessa.
"It just makes me so sad that people don't care for the city, for the environment," said Geraldine Arancibia, co-owner of Recycling Universe.
Ted Yelley stated that taking worn tires to recycling places or to landfills saves the county millions dollars to clean up. He said that cleaning up the mess is a team effort.
"We need everybody's support, more people on the street looking for it… we need people out their looking for illegal dumping for tires and stuff like that. It's a community effort to try to get it cleaned up," said Ted Yelley.
Until the illegally dumped tires across the county is completely cleaned up, county enforcers will be on patrol looking for perpetrators. Ector County Health Department said that they hope to make a task force of citizens across the county, to help ease this problem.