*The figure is absolutely astounding. In one two-month period last year, there were more than 22,000 complaints of illegal dumping on street corners, lots, and parks in Los Angeles. Even more astounding, but hardly surprising, the bulk of the illegal dumping was in the San Fernando Valley, and South and Central Los Angeles.
In more than a few places, the dumped garbage was so high it formed mini mountains. The garbage piles contain just about every type of throwaway item imaginable, from burned-out cars to furniture items.
There is no indication that the number of complaints in the first two months of 2026 will drop. In fact, a most cursory look at countless street corners in South L.A. is ample proof that the illegally dumped garbage mountains are larger than ever.
Mayor Karen Bass, the Department of Sanitation, and Los Angeles City Council members have wrung their hands over what to do about the illegal and environmentally hazardous garbage dumping problem. They urge prompt reporting of dumping, taking names and numbers of the dumpers, upgrades to the city’s dumping tracking system, and tough fines for the perpetrators. Meanwhile, the problem literally grows larger.
The grim reality is that the trash dumps are not just a product of clandestine, illegal, overnight dumping. They have accumulated over weeks.
How does this continue to happen? Countless residents, business owners in the area, as well as motorists and pedestrians, see them daily. These same homeowners, renters and businesspersons must live with the enormous toxic, health, safety and environmental hazard that the garbage pileups pose.
These damaging health hazards imperil too many Black and Hispanic lives. The time for even greater action on L.A.’s mounting garbage mountains is now.
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Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His forthcoming book is The Epstein “Distraction” (Amazon ebook and Middle Passage Press) He hosts the weekly news and issues commentary radio show The Hutchinson Report Wednesdays 6 PM PST 9 PM EST at ktymgospel.net.