The Dumping Continues in November and December

It is no secret that the vacant lot in the middle of our alley continues to be a source and attraction for a sanitation problems--rats, overgrown grass, illegal dumping, and loose trash.  It's better now than it was five years ago, thanks to the hard work and determination of our neighbors, CM Graham's attention to the problems, and DPW's inspectors.

We made such progress with DPW previously when they were taking a proactive approach to preventing dumping by residents, but now many of those gains have been reversed.  Check out the photos below.

Illegal Dumping on and around the  vacant lot on Nov 26, 2012

My observations: sources of dumping

The cycle of dumping and sanitation issues in our alley generally begin with a couple of problem houses dump 1) bulk items and 2) set out thin trash bags outside of the Supercans, which happens at least twice a week.  The bulk items that they dump attracts other dumping which remains there for a week or two, because much of the dumping occurs on private property--the vacant lot--and it is sometimes difficult to get DPW to remove it.  In addition, the bags of kitchen waste that the same houses throw out without a Supercan are then ripped open by rats, making the alley look like no one cares about it and giving the signal to others that it's okay to throw anything out there- including more loose trash and bulk items.  Hence, the cycle of dumping.

The trash all over the ground also signals to DPW Collections that no one cares about the alley, so when the trash collectors pick up bags from the Supercans and toss them in the truck, they just leave all the trash that falls out scattered on the ground and alley.  The last photo shows our alley yesterday, right before DPW came through for an alley cleaning to prepare for a meeting with Director Howland today.

Thin trashbags about to be ripped open by rats.  This happens biweekly.

These photos below were taken of the vacant lot area yesterday:

Photos taken December 13th, 2012

I personally think that there has to be a multi-pronged solution here including, 

1) Pre-emptive actions by DPW, including observing bulk items in backyards so when they are dumped, they know the sources

2 )DPW inspectors coming out here late on trash nights or early the next morning to see the bags of trash, so the people responsible can be warned or fined.  If the inspectors come through after the trash is picked up, it is too late many times because the bag has been ripped to shreds and it is difficult to ascertain from where the lose trash came.

3) DPW ensuring all Supercans are brought in rather than huddled permanently around the vacant lot

4) DPW Collections ensuring that the collectors do not leave trash strewn all over the alley 

5) Continued neighborhood clean ups by residents

6) Owner of the vacant lot taking a proactive approach to removing trash and dumping from his property and cutting the weeds

7) A way to prevent Metro Ferals volunteers' cat food from feeding the rats and littering our alley with paper plates every night. There has to be a way they can feed the cats without littering and feeding the rats.

8) Residents continuing to work with DoH to bait for rats

I Think I'd Prefer the Snow

As soon as I drove through the alley this afternoon, I emailed my next door neighbors to avert their gaze when coming home--the alley was looking down right offensive. Offensive may have been an euphemism. Today was first regular day of trash collection following Snowmaggedon. These pictures are taken AFTER the trash was collected. As they show, there are three piles of illegally dumped bulk items that have emerged from under the snow. To compliment them, you'll also find several trash bags and boxes left behind by the sanitation workers because they were not placed in the Supercans. There is also trash from open trash bags strewn throughout.

We've been struggling to get DPW to enforce the sanitation rules for months but to little avail. Residents are free to "dispose" of trash how every they choose because there are no ramifications. I thought the city needed money?? Forget increasing parking meter fees--there is a goldmine in potential sanitation fines.



I told my fiance that when I loaded these pictures along with photos from his recent trip to Africa, for a second when the pictures of our alley photos loaded-- I didn't realize they were photos of DC--I thought they were in the streets of Lagos, Nigeria! No joke.

At least four neighbors called 311 before the snow to report the illegal dumping. We'll see if DPW gets around to picking it up this week. We'll keep our fingers crossed.