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The One Clean Houston initiative aims to tackle an illegal dumping program across the city - exclusive news

Houston, Texas (KTRK) - It's an issue that continues to make headlines time and time again - neighbors are frustrated at illegal dumping of waste near their homes. On Wednesday, the city of Houston announced details OneClean HoustonIt is a new initiative aimed at combating this problem. Kashmir Gardens resident Walter Mallet is tired of The One Clean Houston initiative is aimed at tackling an illegal dumping program in Houston, Texas. The initiative is part of a $17 million initiative aimed at combating illegal dumping, and will focus on three main areas: fast cleaning, better application, prevention and education. The program also offers the public an online form and phone numbers to report illegal dumping. According to the city’s Solid Waste Management Division, they have received more than 5,000 complaints about illegal waste dumping over the past 12 months.

The One Clean Houston initiative aims to tackle an illegal dumping program across the city - exclusive news

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Houston, Texas (KTRK) – It’s an issue that continues to make headlines time and time again – neighbors are frustrated at illegal dumping of waste near their homes. On Wednesday, the city of Houston announced details OneClean HoustonIt is a new initiative aimed at combating this problem.

Kashmir Gardens resident Walter Mallet is tired of seeing piles of rubbish near where he lives. He said he tried to report the problem to the City of Houston several times, but it always felt like the problem came back.

“This is an ongoing problem. This is a generational problem. This is not a problem that just started today. This has affected our communities for years,” Mallett said. “It makes you feel so much less of a person, that some people might actually come into your neighborhood and dump their debris, trash, and things they don’t want in their yard.”

Read moreJUST ON THE 13TH: Neighbors of Kashmir Gardens rolls over a couple caught in illegal dumping near the park and church

Keith Downey, chair of the Kashmir Gardens Super Neighborhood Council, said the residents who suffer the most from this problem are from predominantly black and Hispanic areas.

“The communities most affected are our minority communities, and the fact of the matter is that they flip mindset rather than build it. We’re not just in food deserts, we have environmental issues. Everyone wants to live in a clean society. People aren’t going to live in garbage,” Downey said.

This is one of the reasons Mayor Sylvester Turner and other city officials have made the details of the “OneClean Houston— a $17 million initiative aimed at combating illegal dumping. They held their press conference in North Side Village, an area plagued by frequent piles of garbage.

“Illegal dumping can lower the quality of life in our communities, create health risks, pollute waterways, hinder development, and negatively affect property values,” Turner said. “Violators who unlawfully dispose of our communities and endanger our communities must be held accountable. The city will pursue all legal remedies and bring them to justice.”

Related: Mayor Turner promised to announce the “One Clean Houston” plan before the end of March

Houston Police Sgt. Patrick Morrissey said his agency did about 600 investigations in 2022, and so far this year, they’re already at 400. Harris County Pct. 1 Constable Alan Rosen said in 2022, his department has 276 investigations into illegal dumping and 139 arrests. Currently, they have 22 active investigations.

“I can tell you people live within five miles of where they dumped illegally. Generally, they only do it once. Once they get caught, they don’t dump again, unless you’re this trucker that actually gets paid by.” Various companies to dispose of construction waste or tires.

According to the city’s Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD), they have received more than 5,000 complaints about illegal waste dumping over the past 12 months. The average wait time for cleanups was around 45 days, something they were able to reduce to 20 days. But they know this is not enough.

read moreEnterprise: Houston City Council’s Effort to Stop Illegal Dumping: ‘It Will Take Us All Together’

One Clean Houston focuses on three main areas: fast cleaning, better application, prevention and education

The express cleanup includes a $200,000 investment in staffing incentives in response to a vacancy rate of 17% due to the national driver shortage. This allows the city to offer a $5,000 hire bonus to new drivers. Officials said that under an aggressive approach, the average resolution time should drop to seven to 10 days.

Better Application requires $419,000 to add more surveillance cameras across the city to help identify and prosecute people involved in illegal dumping, $608,000 for six additional law enforcement personnel, and $100,000 in additional overtime for HPD’s Environmental Crimes Unit for investigations

Prevention and education will expand garbage disposal options for the population. The city already has six neighborhood storage centers where people can dump bulky items and recyclables for free. But it will also pilot a neighborhood landing program at the Blue Ridge and McCarthy landfill on April 29.

The City of Houston also offers the public an online form and multiple phone numbers to report illegal dumping:

• Crimestoppers: (713) 222-TIPS (You can stay anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000)

Mallet said he is cautiously optimistic about the outcome of the program but will be watching to see what impact it has on his community over the next few years.

“I’m going to be a skeptic for a long time,” he said. “But these programs have to start somewhere.”

To request a cleaning in your area, call 311. For more details about the program and to access a Dumping Track map, visit One Clean Houston website.

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Chủ đề: Texas, Houston

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