TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "There’s a couch, there’s some chairs,” Laura Balderson says as she drives through an area of the desert that has become a dump.
Tires, toilets, toys, couches and more are all over the ground nearby Taylor Lane, west of Ryan Airfield.
“It makes me want to cry," Balderson says.
Balderson says it’s been a problem for years, and says people either don’t have the money or the courtesy to take their trash to the dump.
“It does cost $12 to go to the transfer station," she said. "Maybe some people don’t have that kind of money. Or, they just don’t want to do it.”
The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality says they are aware of the Taylor Road dumping site, and the issues it is causing.
“These are all things that are not naturally occurring," Nick Weigel said. "So, the fact it is being introduced to the ground and our groundwater is a high concern.”
Weigel says they understand money is tight for many people in Pima County right now. But he adds financial help is available for those who qualify.
Pima County offers a program where dump fees are $2 as opposed to $12. You can click this link to see if you qualify.
There are some pick-ups planned for the near future, but Weigel says they make a big impact on the county’s resources.
“Just that quick solution for you in the moment, to get rid of your trash in the desert, really is going to have a long lasting impact, and I wish more people would recognize that," Weigel said.
As Balderson says the desert isn’t just the desert, but her home.
“The desert is not a designated trash receptacle," she said.
To see a full list of transfer sites around Pima County, click here.
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Adam Klepp is a reporter for KGUN 9. At his previous station in Yuma, Adam focused on a range of local issues including the border, water rights and healthcare. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan, and attended both Loyola University Chicago and Syracuse University. Share your story ideas and important issues with Adam by emailing adam.klepp@kgun9.com or by connecting on Twitter.
