Don't Dump on L.A.!

LOS ANGELES (November 20, 2008) - City of Los Angeles public officials today introduced “Don't Dump on LA,” a new prevention campaign targeting South Los Angeles and Wilmington, stressing the City’s $1,000 reward for citizens who report information that leads to the arrest and conviction of illegal dumping violators.

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo joined Council members Janice Hahn, Council District 15, and Jan Perry, Council District 9, and other public officials to announce the campaign in a news conference at the intersection of Lanzit Avenue and 112th Street, one of the most heavily impacted thoroughfares in South Los Angeles.

“Illegal dumping continues to plague and degrade quality of life in many of our neighborhoods, including South Los Angeles,” said City Attorney Delgadillo. “Together with our Department of Public Works partners, we will continue to target some of the worst areas in our city for illegal dumping and increase awareness of this serious problem so that all of our residents can live in a safe and clean environment.”

In addition to Department of Public Works Board members and the Bureaus of Street Services and Sanitation, representatives of the Los Angeles Police Department, EnvironmentLA (the Environmental Affairs Department), and the California Integrated Waste Management Board joined the elected officials at today’s news conference. The campaign will target severely impacted sections of Council Districts 8, 9, and 15 in South Los Angeles and Wilmington.

"For years, I have worked closely with the community to find ways to keep people from dumping in our neighborhoods. We have installed cameras in alleyways, we have changed the law so that we can impound the cars of people who dump, but the missing piece has been surveillance and enforcement of our laws--which is why today’s announcement is so welcomed," said Councilwoman Janice Hahn. "With the grant we have
received for the “Don’t Dump on LA” campaign, we will soon see increased surveillance and enforcement. We need to make some arrests and set some examples."

EnvironmentLA was awarded a $500,000 California Integrated Waste Management Board grant on behalf of the City to combat illegal dumping and fund the campaign. Cleanup of chronic, illegal dumping sites; additional surveillance of known illegal dumping problem areas; and community outreach for prevention and proactive approaches are components. It will serve as a pilot for the development of an effective incentive and enforcement strategy citywide.

Radio ads on selected stations, in both English and Spanish language, will begin airing as early as late December and early January. Associated websites and radio talk shows will feature the campaign, as well. In-theater ads on illegal dumping prevention also will start to appear at Magic Johnson Theaters in the Crenshaw district during the same time period.

Illegal dumping cleanup efforts cost the City about $12 million annually. “By conducting this campaign, we hope to encourage citizens to report illegal dumping when they see it occurring to help keep our city clean and beautiful and we remind them to call the city’s non-emergency hotline 3-1-1, to report violators,” said Board of Public Works President Cynthia M. Ruiz. “All calls are strictly
confidential,” she added, “and convicted offenders can receive both misdemeanor and felony sentences.”

Citizens also can report illegal dumping online at the following website: http://www.lacity.org/boss/StreetUseInspection/form.htm. The “Don't Dump on LA,” campaign will support efforts of the South Los Angeles Illegal Dumping Prevention Collaborative which was founded by the City Attorney's Office in 2005 to develop prevention strategies to combat the problem and prioritize impacted locations. Members include the Public Works Bureau of Street Services, the Neighborhood
Prosecutor Program, LAPD South Los Angeles Area Senior Lead Officers, the Departments of Building and Safety, Transportation, Housing, and Water and Power.

For more information, contact Richard E. Lee, Public Information Officer of the Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation Public Affairs Office at (213) 978-0324, or Frank Mateljan, Press Deputy, Office of the City Attorney at (213) 978-8340.

Public Works Open Houses

BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS ANNOUNCES "SIX" CITYWIDE BUREAU OF SANITATION OPEN HOUSES TO PROMOTE RECYCLING AND CITY SERVICES

City Invites Children, Families and Residents of All Ages to Join the Fun and Excitement with Trash Truck Demonstrations, Yard Tours, Educational Games and Prizes

The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation is hosting its 6th annual open house events offered free to the public. Each of the city's six sanitation yards, in Sun Valley, Northridge, Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park, South Los Angeles, San Pedro and West Los Angeles, will promote recycling fun while providing hands-on educational experiences and informational material on city programs.

The open houses are designed to display the city's recycling program, increase recycling awareness and improve access to city services delivered by the Bureau of Sanitation. Last year, more than 3,200 residents visited the open houses and more than 300 city employees volunteered their time to conduct the weekend events for the public.

Visitors will be treated to trash truck and equipment demonstrations in addition to yard tours and educational booths. Visitors of all ages will have an opportunity to meet the city's recycling mascots. The blue characters "Mr. Recycle" and "Robo Blue" will promote the cause of recycling to the next generation of residents by engaging the imagination of children. As a bonus, Million Trees L.A. will provide tree adoption opportunities and the Bureau of Sanitation will distribute free mulch from its green waste program.

The open house dates, times and locations are:

Saturday, MAY 3, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
EAST VALLEY District Yard, 11050 Pendleton Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352

Saturday, MAY 17, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
WEST VALLEY District Yard, 8840 Vanalden Avenue, Northridge, CA 91324

Saturday, MAY 31, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
NORTH CENTRAL District Yard, 452 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Saturday, JUNE 7, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
SOUTH LOS ANGELES District Yard, 786 S. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Saturday, JUNE 21, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
HARBOR District Yard, 1400 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731

Saturday, JUNE 28, 2008 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
WEST LOS ANGELES District Yard, 2027 Stoner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025

For more information on 2008 Bureau of Sanitation Open Houses, please call (800) 773-2489 or visit www.lacity.org/SAN/. To learn more about the city moving toward "Zero Waste" and the future of solid waste management, please visit www.zerowaste.lacity.org.

About Board of Public Works
The five-commissioner Board of Public Works manages the Department of Public Works, the City's third largest municipal division focused on the essential needs of residents for a better quality of life and environmental protection. With a $559 million operating budget, the department awards more than $500 million in public service contracts annually that provide for the construction, renovation, and operation of public programs and services including: municipal buildings and treatment facilities; streets, street lights, and urban forest; bridges and sidewalks; sewers and storm drains; integrated solid waste management and recycling; graffiti removal and beautification grants. The Board is committed to the delivery of quality customer service, to help neighborhoods thrive and benefit from healthier living and working environments. For more information, visit www.lacity.org/bpw.

ADVISORY: Illegal Dumping

The Crocker-Mettler project and the Southeast Illegal Dumping Collaborative, which includes representatives of the Neighborhood Prosecutor Program, LAPD, City Council District 9 and the Bureau of Street Services, has been successful in addressing the illegal dumping issues in this area through prosecution, posting signage, and educating area business owners.

For questions, call Ailissa Leroy or Nina Lee of the City Attorney's Neighborhood Prosecutor Program, South Bureau, at (323)789-2701.

About Board of Public Works. The five-commissioner Board of Public Works manages the Department of Public Works; the City’s third largest municipal division focused on the essential needs for a better quality of life and environmental protection. With a $559 million operating budget, the department awards more than $500 million in public service contracts annually that provide for the construction, renovation, and operation of public programs and services including: municipal buildings and treatment facilities;
streets, street lights, and urban forest; bridges and sidewalks; sewers, catch basins and storm drains; recycling and integrated solid waste management. Through these programs and services, the Board is committed with the delivery of quality customer service, to engage and help neighborhoods thrive and benefit from healthier living and working environments. For more information, visit www.lacity.org/bpw.