As garbage breaks down, it
can release volatile organic compounds,
which are gases that are
dangerous to breathe, as well as
chemicals that pose a danger if
touched. Liquids and gases can
also seep into and remain in the
soil, surface water and air, increasing
the long term health
risks.
Dumping electronics such as
televisions, computers and toys
with batteries, as well as construction
debris can be particularly
harmful, says Hilpert. This
kind of waste can contain toxic
materials such as arsenic, lead,
cadmium and asbestos.
While illegal dumping is a
health hazard to all, experts say
that children, the elderly and
people with pre-existing health
conditions are the most vulnerable.
Children are particularly
vulnerable because their brains
and bodies are still developing
and if exposed to harmful chemicals,
the damage can be more
severe and long-lasting, Hilpert
says.
“Thinking of the soil, there
would also be a risk to children
playing and touching the soil, so
there could be ingestion exposure
through hand to mouth exposure,”
he says.
STEPPING UP
ENFORCEMENT
In recent years, some steps
have been taken to address the
problem.
In 2018, the Sanitation Department
launched a program
aimed at discouraging the practice.
However, the number of citizen
complaints increased. In
2019, there were 2,814 complaints
about improper disposal in New
York City. In 2020, the number
increased to 3,770, and as of August
2021, there were 2,316 complaints.
Now, four years later, the city
is trying a different approach:
In the summer of 2021, the city
launched a pilot program to step
up enforcement of illegal dumping
in the Bronx and Brooklyn,
says Belinda Mager, a spokesperson
for the Sanitation Department.
The department issued
summonses for illegal dumping
and other related offenses, impounded
vehicles and made one
arrest, she says.
No data is yet available to
measure the pilot’s success.
Residents acknowledge the
city’s efforts but say more needs
to be done. Cintron says he’d like
to see the Sanitation Department
focus on landlords and property
owners who encourage dumping
by failing to keep their property
clean and garbage free.
“If sanitation enforcement and
the city was holding landlords
accountable, maybe they’d be
more attentive to cleaning their
property,” says Cintron.
Hector Hernandez, who works
in the Hunts Point neighborhood,
supports efforts at tougher enforcement.
Hernandez says he has
seen illegal dumping for many
years, and believes city officials
need to confront those responsible
and hold them accountable.
He also suggests forming a
city-led task force to monitor the
problem until dumping is reduced.
“They should have another
force, another outlet or group that
can just pick up garbage,” says
Hernandez.
A solution as simple as adding
– and servicing – more public garbage
bins may be worth trying,
according to some residents. That
is a solution, Hernandez, Citron
and Rivera say, that appears to
have been tried and is working in
other parts of the city.
So why not the Bronx?
“The Bronx is always neglected
– that is nothing new,”
says Hernandez.
Yesenia Barrios, a graduate
of Baruch College in New York
City, is an intern with the Urban
Health Media Project.
9
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, APR. 8-14, 2022
BXR
Illegally dumped furniture off of exit
5 of the Bronx River Parkway in the
Van Nest neighborhood of the Bronx.
Photo | Yesenia Barrios