12-04-2025
Illegal dumping an eyesore, sometimes a health hazard, Clark County officials say
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — If you drive along Cactus Avenue and Buffalo Drive in the Mountain's Edge community, you might notice some bright orange signs that say, 'No Trespassing, No Dumping.'
'We see a lot of dumping while we're driving by,' Mountain's Edge resident Lana Chairez said Friday.
It's a concern all over the valley, so what are people seeing and what can be done about it?
'I've seen couches out in the desert, and I'm like, how do you just drop off a couch? It baffles me,' Gavin Beery said.
It's an eyesore for sure. Clark County Code Enforcement and the Southern Nevada Health District's Environmental Health Division talked with 8 News Now about how much waste they see illegally dumped on public lands.
Michelle Clarke of the Southern Nevada Health District said car parts, tires and motor oil are common finds.
'We've seen a lot of oil dumped, typically from people doing their oil changes and not disposing of it properly,' Clarke said.
Landscape cleanup — weeds, shrubbery and twigs from neighborhood backyards — should not be dumped out in the desert, officials said.
Jim Anderson with Clark County Code Enforcement said it brings property values down.
'It looks bad for our area and we want this area to be beautiful, so oil in the ground is an environmental hazard and the chemicals seep back down into the groundwater, and it's just bad,' Anderson said.
What should you do if you see illegal dumping?
Call the police or report it to the Southern Nevada Health District at 702-759-0600.
They also have a page on their website dedicated to illegal dumping:
You can also report it on the Fixit Clark County App.
As for where to take your waste.
Republic Services has a transfer station you can use. If you show your trash bill, you can dump there for free, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.
Penalties for illegal dumping go as high as a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail.
The solid waste management authority offers a $100 reward for information about someone dumping illegally.
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