Nathaniel Holmes / BLM
It’s easy to throw away everyday household waste, but what happens when broken appliances, old furniture or even hazardous waste need to be removed?
Unfortunately, some people resort to improper disposal of bulk items by illegally dumping them on public lands. Some bulk items include microwaves, refrigerators and mattresses.
Officials from the Southern Nevada Bureau of Land Management say that illegal dumping has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This spike in desert dumping has become harder to clean up due to resources and lack of volunteering during the pandemic.
“This last year, it’s been very hard to get large groups out because of COVID,” said John Asselin, the Bureau of Land Management’s public affairs officer for Southern Nevada.