SUFFOLK, Va. — The City of Suffolk is intensifying its efforts to combat illegal dumping. City officials say they're targeting problem areas, including a notable site behind Food Lion on Portsmouth Boulevard.
"If you do the crime, you pay the fine," Suffolk Commonwealth's Attorney Narendra Pleas said during a press conference Wednesday.
Pleas expressed frustration over the ongoing issue of illegal dumping. "We've seen a house load full of furniture brought into the city and dumped," she said.
City officials reported conducting a cleanup event the previous weekend. While conditions have improved, litter and scattered debris remain evident, despite the presence of the police camera.
Pleas emphasized the negative impact of litter on the community.
"They attract unwanted wildlife and animals. They increase undesired activity and more. This leads to decreasing home values, slows economic development, and increases criminal activity," she said.
In response to the increasing dumping problem, city officials have unveiled the Environmental Crimes Task Force. This initiative will involve a dedicated prosecutor along with an investigator from the fire marshal’s office focused on prevention.
"Remember, when firefighters respond to negligent releases that impact our environment, they come into contact with hazardous materials—solids, liquids, vapors, and smoke—that are very harmful to their well-being," said Fire Chief Michael Barakey.
As part of their strategy, officials will also educate the community on proper disposal methods. However, Pleas cautioned that criminal charges and fines will be pursued against individuals engaging in illegal dumping.
"It's not necessarily incarceration, although it may be warranted in some cases. Again, it is to protect our environment," she said.
Currently, the city bears the financial burden of cleaning up these illegal dumps in a lot of cases.
"I want the money because we can use that money and put it in a pool to educate, to remediate, to prevent," she explained.
As part of the effort to keep Suffolk clean, authorities plan to hold training sessions in the upcoming months aimed at raising awareness and encouraging proper disposal practices among residents.
