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Some people who engage in illegal dumping are not aware they are doing anything wrong. Others just do not want the hassle of figuring out what to do with an unwanted computer, television set, old piece of furniture, or another larger item that they no longer need.

They may even resort to putting a 'free' sign on the item and placing it in front of their house, unaware that this is a form of illegal dumping. Sometimes, the cause of illegal dumping is that people lack the knowledge of legal options.

How Illegal Dumping Affects Communities Over Time

Most people can appreciate that dumping trash where it does not belong has a negative impact on the environment. At the same time, they often fail to consider how illegal dumping affects a community.

One of the biggest concerns about the cumulative effect of growing piles of trash is that people's exposure to it can make them sick. Why? Trash piles attract mosquitos, flies, and other insects that can easily carry diseases to humans.

They also attract larger animals that carry diseases, such as racoons and skunks. Some of the most common diseases that insects and wild animals transmit to humans include:

• Dengue Fever
• Encephalitis
• Malaria
• Yellow Fever

The cleanliness of people's indoor and outdoor environments plays a significant role in their mental health. Living near large piles of trash that no one ever cleans up can contribute to depression, anxiety, and a host of other mental health concerns.

Houses in neighborhoods surrounded by trash lose their property value after a while and become harder to sell. The people remaining in the neighborhood pay the price of unchecked illegal dumping with higher taxes to cover the cost of trash removal.

Non-profit organizations sometimes commit to neighborhood clean-up projects, but the people who live there cannot necessarily depend on this. The result is they pay the price of someone else's illegal actions.

Illegal Dumping and the Environment

Trash that remains in one place for months or years eventually impacts the quality of soil and water in the area. Both become contaminated and unsafe, which is especially problematic when people drink the water.

Piles of trash are flammable, and it takes very little for unwanted papers, appliances, and other personal belonging to start on fire. The reason for this is that trash can spontaneously combust without a known accelerant.

Animals in the wild typically suffer the consequences of illegal dumping before people do. The trash blocks their migratory paths, leaving them with no way to leave. Wildlife can also become severely ill or die from eating trash or becoming tangled in it. The latter problem is especially prevalent among sea creatures due to the tendency of humans to throw trash into bodies of water.

Reduce the Impact of Illegal Dumping by Hiring a Junk Hauler

Junk hauling companies have contracts with recycling centers and non-profits needing donations of large items, which means the items disposed of do not end up in a landfill.

They also accept most items, including furniture and demolition debris. Taking this action is responsible, and people can feel good that they helped the environment and local communities rather than harming them.