Update | Schwab told KSHB 41 News that the trash was cleaned up on Wednesday.
Original story | Laurie Schwab owns property near east 29th Street and Topping Avenue and is used to seeing dumped trash on the sides of streets. Illegal dumping is unfortunately nothing new to Kansas City.
But, what she came upon recently was something new.
“I got in my car to leave, and I couldn’t leave, I couldn’t get through,” Schwab said. “First time I’ve seen that out in the middle of the street like that.”
Schwab said she was forced to shovel some trash so she could drive out.
She showed KSHB 41 News pictures of trash from shoulder to shoulder of the road out of her house, the pile was three feet high.
A part of the illegal dump was caught on camera.
“I mean it was a big trailer probably a sixteen-foot flat trailer piled all the way up,” Schwab said. “The van that came down the street sounded like it didn’t have a muffler it was really loud. It sounded like car trouble, but in retrospect, they were probably covering the sounds of the junk coming out of the trailer and dumping it on the street.”
Schwab wants to see it cleaned up and fines for those who dumped it.
“I first called the police cause it was blocking the road,” she said. “They said, ‘No that’s not our problem you got to call 311 and make a report.’”
Schwab filed the report on Aug. 28 and received correspondence from someone within the city on Aug. 31. She heard back from her automated report on Sept. 13.
“We are still in the process of collecting all dumped items around our city and apologize for any inconvenience and eyesore this may be," the city spokesperson told Schwab. "Our crews are stacked with dumping cases and we have every intention of collecting. We appreciate your patience and thanks for reporting”
By Sept. 21, the trash was still there.
The City says there are five trucks assigned to illegal dumping cases that may need further inspection and clean up, but they simply just can’t keep up because the dumping is never-ending.
“Have some respect for your community and unfortunately I guess they don’t so that’s frustrating so,” Schwab said.
The City also added that if you’re paying someone to pick up your junk, don’t hand over the money until they come back with a receipt from the dump to ensure it was disposed of properly.
