Macon, Georgia (WGXA) – On Monday, August 26, WGXA spoke with county leaders and local organizers about the recent illegal dumping on Center Street in Macon.

According to Third District Commissioner Elaine Lucas, this is an area that has been a frequent site of garbage dumping in the past.

She said Macon-Bibb County may need to resort to new methods.

“I think we’re going to think about cameras and whatever else we have at our disposal to deal with these people who don’t respect their neighborhoods simply because they’re isolated,” Lucas said.

The city also tells WGXA that the Department of Public Works inspects Center Street about once a month and usually performs some type of cleanup.

The station reached out to Commissioner Paul Bronson of neighboring District 2, who sent a statement on Monday afternoon:

“I am very aware of the problem on Center Street and am grateful to the building and sanitation departments for keeping an eye on things when something needs to be cleaned up,” Bronson said.

He added that there is “no reason to destroy our neighborhoods with garbage” and stressed that people should use the county’s numerous free waste disposal centers to dispose of garbage safely.

The only requirement for use is a valid ID proving your residency in Bibb County.

Asha Ellen, executive director of Keep Macon Bibb Beautiful, says residents should not have to live in a community where people dump their trash illegally.

“The message needs to be sent to the community and the perpetrators that this is unacceptable,” Ellen said. “Especially when we live in a community that has facilities where this garbage and waste can be properly disposed of.”

Elaine Lucas believes that illegal dumping can be stopped.

“We have resourceful criminals, but we also have resourceful, organized efforts within county government to take care of these folks,” Lucas said. “I can say with some confidence that this particular area is not going to be an area of ​​concentrated dumping for very much longer.”

Anyone caught littering in Georgia can be charged with a misdemeanor and, if convicted, face a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, according to the Waste Management Authority’s website.

Dumping more than 500 pounds is a misdemeanor for the first offense. Subsequent convictions are a felony and can result in a fine of up to $25,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both.