Illegal dumping leads to Public Works stepping in after exemption

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – From the neighborhoods to City Hall, people have had enough of the trash that is left on the sides of the road and private property. City leaders said they all have heard the same request: clean up the Friendly City. “It’s beginning to be overbearing that this illegal stuff is being thrown everywhere all over the city of Columbus,” Casey Bush said. Casey Bush is the Public Works Director for the city. He said it’s time for the residents and the city to clean up their acts. “The stuff we’re looking at here on this property, the people that actually own this property, have no idea of who brought this here and dropped this off,” Bush said. Back in 2019, a tornado that hit Columbus, forced Public Works to allow a trash exemption. This allowed residents to bring their items to the edge of the street to help clear the debris faster. “During the storm back here, a few years ago, we picked up all kinds of items just to help get stuff off the street. They were putting out TVs, they were putting out tires, they were putting out anything that was in their backyard. anything that was able to come to the street, including household garbage,” Bush said. Even though the trash exemption back in 2019 allowed for people to dump their trash along the road, the city never intended it to last for more than a year. “There was a time limit on that space, on that time. But now, we’re at this point that it’s, we’re supposed to stop what we’re doing as far as picking up all the unwanted items that are supposed to go to the land, that’s being picked up by the public works department,” Bush said. After finding almost 130 different dump sites around the city, Public works said the city is going to crack down on illegal dumping, and those creating the messes. “It really hasn’t been forced, enforced. So, but right now, we are trying to make sure that we do start enforcing these rules and trying to get. Because if we, if we don’t see them and we don’t get information about who is doing this illegal dumping, there’s no way we can enforce the rules,” Bush said. Columbus Public Works is asking residents to notify them or the police if they see anyone illegally dumping in the city.