PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Neighbors in Wesley Chapel say someone continues to dump large furniture, clothes, and toys on private property.
Dan Ballman posted pictures on Facebook showing how much collects in that spot in just two weeks. Dozens of people commented to say they’ve seen the pile too.
"So many needy families could use this,” said Nathan Carlisle, who lives nearby. "There’s a Goodwill right across the street so instead of dumping over there, some thoughtless person has decided to dump all this furniture that could be used by a family that really needs it.”
Pasco County officials say they are aware of this site and say they have seen the pictures. They say it’s privately owned and a donation bin was recently removed from the property. Code Enforcement is investigating.
With all the rain, Carlisle says the stuff is now junk.
"It can’t be used, it’s been out here and is soaking wet,” he said."
From March of 2018 to now, Pasco County Code enforcement has handled 531 illegal dumping complaints. They say this is an issue they do not take lightly and are cracking down on.
Carlisle says it may take cameras to catch the people doing it since they are probably being very careful.
"In the middle of the night, under the veil of darkness where nobody can get caught,” he said. “It’s going to end up being where we have to have Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies monitoring the area, putting up video cameras or something to monitor the area if this continues to be a problem.”
County officials say they have more than a dozen cameras placed in areas where dumping seems to be a problem to try and find the culprits. They say hearing from neighbors and the community helps them better identify the spots.
If you download the MyPasco app for Android or iPhone- there’s a button on the home page where you can report illegal dumping right from your phone. It then goes to Pasco County customer service to decide which department handles it.
Otherwise, you can call their customer service line at 727-847-2411.
