The City Council in Springfield, Massachusetts, made the first step this week towards passing an ordinance to raise the fine for illegal dumping to $500 for each offense. Currently, the maximum fine is $300, imposed after a series of repeat offenses.
Officials said they believe the fine increase will deter would-be offenders.
City Councilor Victor Davila formed the Advisory Litter Committee earlier this year and recommended the ordinance. He said the ordinance would specifically target the dumping of large, bulky items — such as stoves, mattresses and tires.
“We are doing everything within our power to ensure that our city is a good city, [and] to ensure that the city has its glory,” Davila said. “And to send a clear message to these knuckleheads, and to people who are committing the illegal dumping, that we will not tolerate this.”
City Councilor Michael Fenton was also a co-sponsor of the ordinance.
“Springfield has really been a leader in the region in terms of our waste and recycling programming,” Fenton said.
Fenton described how the city provides services such as a bulk waste pickup program that allows people to “appropriately, cheaply and safely get rid of their waste.”
“So when we find individuals who are discarding their materials in public places in the city, it really is infuriating,” Fenton said. “And it really detracts from the overall quality of life and the community as a whole. We find on many occasions that the people who are doing this dumping aren't even residents of Springfield, so we wanted to get as aggressive as we possibly could.”
The ordinance, which received first-step approval from the council on Monday, would also allow for the possible suspension of an offender's vehicle or driver's license if they fail to pay the fine.
“The real teeth on this is going to be the possible suspension of the license and/or the vehicle used to commit the illegal dumping,” he said. “This is a great deterrent.”
Davila said violations of the ordinance would only be referred to the state Division of Motor Vehicles if a vehicle was used to aid in the illegal dumping.
Mayor Domenic Sarno is a co-sponsor of the ordinance.
“Illegal dumping is a serious neighborhood and quality-of-life issue,” Sarno said in a press release. “[It is] one that my administration takes seriously by taking numerous proactive measures including the installation of cameras at hot spot areas so that our Parks Department and Police Officers can investigate and track down those responsible and issue fines and criminal complaints.”
