Understanding the Criminal Justice System
Illegal dumping a crime?
If you are still dealing with piles of empty boxes and bags of shredded wrapping paper after the holidays, you may be wondering what you’re going to do with all of it. In many communities, trash pickup is just once a week or even every other week. In some areas, waste collection crews will not pick up trash unless it is placed in a designated trashcan. When you have a lot of garbage in your garage or around your property, it is sometimes tempting to load up your car and seek out a dumpster.
If you do this, however, you can end up in serious legal trouble. Illegal dumping is a crime – and one that police across the country deal with a lot more often than you might realize.
In Indiana, it is illegal to dispose of garbage in a dumpster, on the roadside, or another person’s garbage can without permission. If you dispose of trash in a company’s dumpster, you may even face civil penalties if the company pursues a lawsuit against you or a municipality forces you to pay the costs associated with cleanup.
When it comes to large quantities of illegally dumped garbage and routine unlawful disposal, the police have even been known to set up sting operations to catch perpetrators. In Arizona, police arrested a man who appeared at a “free trash collection” event. The man was arrested for illegally dumping 600 pounds of construction materials in the desert.
In Texas, two construction contractors were charged with illegal dumping after police caught them shoveling construction trash off a truck bed into a pile under a bridge in San Antonio, where illegal dumping is a growing – and expensive – problem.
Whether you are building a new home, renovating a house, or cleaning out your garage, it is important to dispose of construction waste and trash properly and legally. There are plenty of services that rent out dumpsters or even come to your home to collect garbage for you. Although there are costs associated with these services, it is much better to pay a fee now rather than get hit with a fine and a criminal record down the road.
If you have been charged with a crime, you need an experienced lawyer on your side as soon as possible. Timing is critical. Don’t wait to speak to an attorney. Call Razumich Law, P.C. today at (317) 983-5333 for a free consultation.
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