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1. Why is illegal dumping a problem?

Cleaning up dump sites is an expensive and time-consuming process. Each year, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hires contractors to remove about 100,000 illegally dumped tires.

Illegal dumping can create an eyesore in your neighborhood, as well as an environmental and health hazard. Litter pollutes the soil, the water, and even the air. Dump sites and scrap tires also attract pests such as rodents and mosquitoes, which can carry and spread diseases. Scrap tires can also release harmful chemicals if they catch fire or burn.

2. Did you know there is a hidden cost to illegal dumping?

1. Every year, Ohio municipalities spend millions of dollars to protect the environment and public health by cleaning up illegal dumpsites.
2. Rodents, insects, and other vermin live and breed in open dump sites and scrap tires. These pests are often carriers of diseases, such as West Nile virus and canine heartworms.
3. Illegal dump sites and other litter encourage more people to dump trash in the same place. Prolific or recurring open dumping can affect the quality of life in your neighborhood and potentially lower property values.
4. Tire fires are very difficult to extinguish, so these fires are often left to burn themselves out. This releases toxins into the air you breathe, as well as the soil and groundwater.
5. Children look at a pile of rubber tires as an inviting place to play, but they might be injured by nails, glass, or chemicals found at illegal dumpsites.