COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and his Environmental Enforcement team announced a $1.1 million initiative on Monday aimed at helping communities across the state combat illegal dumping of solid waste.
The “Shine a Light on Dumpers” campaign, backed by proceeds from a Volkswagen settlement, seeks to expose and eliminate illegal dumping of materials such as scrap tires and demolition debris in Ohio neighborhoods.
“We want local law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public to know what they can do to combat the unsightly and unhealthy problem of dumping – and how my office can help them,” Yost said. “It’s time to reclaim our communities from these polluters.”
The Environmental Enforcement Section (EES), which consists of the BCI’s Environmental Enforcement Unit and the Criminal Prosecution Unit, deals with environmental crimes statewide. Though the units often handle cases referred to them by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency or the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, they also work directly with local law enforcement agencies and prosecutor’s offices. Upon request, EES is available to help investigate and prosecute cases of solid waste dumping.
The majority of the $1.1 million allocated for the “Shine a Light on Dumpers” campaign will be used in the initiative’s second phase, which focuses on providing technical equipment to law enforcement agencies combating solid waste dumping in their jurisdictions.