Commissioner Diaz continues crusade against illegal dumping

MIAMI – In his ongoing efforts to reduce illegal dumping in Miami-Dade County, Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is asking the County to look into conducting bulky waste collection on a weekly basis throughout Miami-Dade.

The County Commission on Dec. 3 approved legislation sponsored by Commissioner Diaz to direct the County administration to conduct a feasibility study on implementing weekly bulky waste pickup. The proposal stems from a recommendation by the County’s 2017 Illegal Dumping Task Force, which was established by a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Diaz.

Currently, the bulky waste collection service utilized by the County’s Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) is “on-demand” or “scheduled,” whereby customers call in or go online to schedule a bulky waste pickup, and bulky waste may not be placed curbside until a pickup is scheduled. Each residential unit in the WCSA is entitled to two bulky waste pickups per year of up to 25 cubic yards each, except that construction and demolition materials are limited to one cubic yard. If a DSWM customer has used their available bulky waste pickups or has more than 50 cubic yards for collection, they can take their remaining bulky waste to one of the 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers or pay DSWM a fee based on the cubic yardage or hire a private hauler permitted by DSWM to remove the bulky waste.

The Task Force recommended performing bulky waste collection on a weekly basis using a sweep system, which involves driving by specified locations on a set schedule. It also recommended extending service beyond unincorporated Miami-Dade and the nine municipalities the DSWM currently serves.

“Switching from on-demand to weekly bulky waste collection service throughout the County is one of several ways we could begin to put a dent in this problem of illegal dumping which is plaguing many neighborhoods in the County,” said Commissioner Diaz, who has also sponsored legislation to increase fines for illegal dumping violations.

Also on Dec. 3, the Commission approved a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Diaz to adopt another Task Force recommendation by establishing a prequalification pool of vendors to aid in the cleanup property such as boats and tractor truck trailers that is abandoned on the County’s swales and rights-of-way. The pool would be used only when the County does not have the resources or equipment to remove the personal property from the swales and rights-of-way.