Maintaining an Effective Local Process

Each community should establish and maintain an effective local process that enables citizens to file complaints regarding illegal dumping and other similar solid waste matters and to have those illegal dumping complaints investigated and resolved.

The local government process must include an investigation process that is effective in identifying the responsible party. The responsible party should be contacted and notified with proper recommendations that would resolve the complaint. The process must include procedures for pursuing formal enforcement actions in the local court system when an illegal dumping matter cannot otherwise be resolved.

In order for the local process to investigate and resolve complaints to be effective, MDEQ encourages local governments to consider developing and adopting their own local solid waste management and illegal dumping ordinances.

Importance of Local Ordinances

Local ordinances can be extremely effective when implementing an adequate solid waste system. These ordinances should define acceptable waste management and disposal conditions and also should define what is deemed an illegal dumping violation.

MDEQ promotes the adoption of local illegal dumping ordinances because such ordinances provide counties and municipalities with a local enforcement tool and because they also help set the local standards for community appearance and pride. MDEQ has established a sample local ordinance that communities can use as a model in developing their own local ordinance for addressing illegal dumping.