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Trash talk: A third of Virginians admit to dumping trash illegally

Posted at 7:55 AM, Oct 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-05 07:55:28-04

Illegal dumping of trash – such as furniture, old mattresses and appliances like washing machines – is becoming an increasing problem in towns and cities across the country.

But while most people agree it’s a blight on neighborhoods and green spaces, not to mention a financial burden on authorities who have to dispose of the waste somehow, how many of us are actually guilty of behaving like this ourselves?

According to a study by mattress review site Sleepopolis, more than one-third of Virginians admit to having done so, with 34 percent of residents in towns and cities across Virginia saying they’ve left trash somewhere rather than arranging collection or taking it to official dumping grounds.

Sleepopolis found that the most popular items Virginians dump are TVs, at 47 percent, followed by old mattresses at 21 percent. Fridges and freezers came third at 15 percent, followed by furniture at 8, computers at 7 and dryers at 4 percent.

Additionally, 59 percent of people admit to placing these items in someone else’s dumpster, and 24 percent have left these items out on the sidewalk.