How Kansas City officials plan to remove over 500 tires illegally dumped on trail
Kansas City officials and volunteers are facing a monumental task, after hundreds of tires were found illegally dumped. Now, the city must remove about 500 tires that were left in a heap on the Blue River Trail.
Wayne Ashurst, illegal dumping supervisor with the city of Kansas City, first heard about the case a few weeks ago when the investigator assigned to the case told him it’s something he may want to take a look at.
“It’s kind of strange because I’ve been in this position since 2011 and I have never been under that bridge,” Ashurst said.
The dump site, described by Ashurst as an area where people from all over town have been coming to dump waste where they believe they won’t be caught, is located just west of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and Hardesty Avenue.
Ashurst estimates the mound has been growing for about 6 months, but noted it typically doesn’t grow to this extent before it’s reported.
The Parks Department crew and their volunteers will lead cleanup efforts on Aug. 23, and will likely have to bring those tires up one at a time, according to Ashurst.
“It’s gonna be a lot of work,” he said. “(Tires) get heavy real quick.”
Once the area is cleaned up, cameras will be installed to obtain evidence and to start filing charges.
Ashurst believes the dumping was likely caused by a business of some sort, saying it’s not uncommon for someone to offer to take old tires from a business.
“This is their job. They get tires and then they dump them to save themselves the fees of getting rid of them legally. And then it turns around and costs the city money,” he said.
The penalty for illegal dumping ranges from $1 to $1,000 per dump, which is defined by the number of trips taken to the site. Dumping over 500 pounds is considered a felony, which comes with fines closer to $3,000. The person or people responsible for the tires will likely face the maximum fine if caught, according to Ashurst.
Anyone who comes across a dump site or sees someone dumping illegally is asked to call 311.
