Drive-by dumping? West Seattle street gets trashed

August 25, 2010 at 1:06 am | In Delridge, Safety, West Seattle news | 52 Comments

That photo’s just out of the WSB inbox from JB, along with this report:

Someone just dumped a truckload of demolition and yard debris partially in the alley and also across SW Trenton near Delridge Way (map). I cleared the road enough to make it passable and then snapped some pictures. … The event occurred around 11:15 pm. I reported this to Seattle police. Looks like the truck that dumped the debris was headed south. Have there been any reports or incidents like this elsewhere in the area? Any help in identifying the culprits is appreciated.

ADDED 8:58 AM: JB had sent a second photo – so we’re adding it:

52 Comments

  1. I can think of nothing else but …Ignorant Pigs ! :(

    Comment by JanS — 2:30 am August 25, 2010 #

  2. we need CSI all over that load of debris.

    Comment by mar3c — 6:44 am August 25, 2010 #

  3. What the h? Seriously?

    Comment by Amanda — 7:41 am August 25, 2010 #

  4. This happened in my alley between Webster and Holden 31st and 32nd about a week ago…same type of debris.

    I never saw the culprits.

    Comment by KellyM — 8:00 am August 25, 2010 #

  5. I’d like to see more photos of this debris posted. There is surely a neighbor out there who saw this come out of a remodel and can help nab the persons who thought the taxpayers should cover his cleanup and dump fees.

    Comment by WSMom — 8:20 am August 25, 2010 #

  6. Creeps.

    Comment by Jeff — 8:21 am August 25, 2010 #

  7. Sounds like someone is for hire for hauling services but wants to keep the per-ton transfer station fee for themselves.

    Comment by austin — 8:42 am August 25, 2010 #

  8. What the what?!!! Come on people the world isn’t your dumping ground! How ridiculous!

    Comment by sun*e — 8:51 am August 25, 2010 #

  9. WS Mom, the person who e-mailed us very early today did send a second photo. I didn’t add it originally because the 1st photo seemed an ample display of what this was, but framed in the way you think someone might view it, it may have value, so I’m adding it now – TR

    Comment by WSB — 8:57 am August 25, 2010 #

  10. I also noticed a mattress and other junk dumped near Brandon St and the Longfellow Creek Trail (a few blocks west of Delridge). It appeared some time this past weekend.

    Comment by Jake — 9:23 am August 25, 2010 #

  11. I agree with Austin,this is sad and theres got to be fingerprints somewhere on this debris.

    Comment by Alki Resident — 9:29 am August 25, 2010 #

  12. we’ve had a lot of dumping in our alley right behind the SW branch of the library lately too. tvs and mattreses! lazy jerks!

    Comment by MJB — 9:42 am August 25, 2010 #

  13. Gross….can’t believe some people.

    Comment by RJB — 9:43 am August 25, 2010 #

  14. We had a bunch of yard debris dumped in the alley between 34th & 32nd, Trenton/Cloverdale earlier this summer. Seems to be a lot of this going around.

    Comment by hoss — 9:50 am August 25, 2010 #

  15. pigs

    Comment by visitor — 9:50 am August 25, 2010 #

  16. How rude! I know that alley very well because i spent most of my childhood there, now I live up in Highland park but my mom and aunt still live there, we have seen this alleyway become a dumping ground for transients and druggies, and it’s almost your backyard! That alley used to be very clean! Thanks JB for the photos and semi clean up! I gotta show my mom!

    Comment by Gemma — 10:08 am August 25, 2010 #

  17. I have seen a lot of dumping, TV’s even, close to the south end of the golf course at 29th & brandon. Very nasty thing to do. Hopefully, they read the blog but…

    Comment by guinivere — 10:09 am August 25, 2010 #

  18. Over the weekend someone dumped some funky looking tires (2) in the alley behind us(behind Shanti Salon), infront of a run down garage.

    Comment by bsmomma — 10:22 am August 25, 2010 #

  19. That must’ve made a lot of noise! I would think that it would only be a matter of time before these rogues get caught.
    I can’t imagine fingerprints being taken. Our neighbor’s car was broken into recently and $2,500 in damage was done trying to get it started. Handprints all over the car and none were taken by the police. With trash like that which was dumped, there will be fingerprints from lots of people on it. It would be impossible to “finger” them as the culprit in a court case.

    Comment by flowerpetal — 10:35 am August 25, 2010 #

  20. I’m not supporting the pigs that did that, but come on, dumping fees are outrageous!!! City, Feds need to do something to ofset the costs to citizens!!!
    $145 a ton at the south park transfer station last time I went there!!! It’s a robbery!
    I pay for renting a truck or trailer, I load junk, I drive there, I unload…and then I pay $145 a ton plus extra for tires?
    .
    Ever since they made recycling electronics for free, I rarely see any TVs on the side of the road, and that free hazardous waste disposal feature is great too.
    I’m not implying that garbage should be free, but $145 a ton when I do all the work is absurd!!!

    Comment by Baba — 11:07 am August 25, 2010 #

  21. What is wrong with people!

    Comment by EmmyJane — 11:11 am August 25, 2010 #

  22. I agree Baba that we pay higher rates in King County than many other plaes in the U.S. It looks to me though that the per ton fee is less than $149 unless you are referring to “special waste” which is $150 per ton and not commonly used. I know that rates can be as low as $30-$40 in rural areas of Montana, S.D. and New Mexico. King County’s rate is comparable to more densely populated areas such as Sonoma County. Not sure why, perhaps because it needs to be shipped farther away (by train from King County).

    Comment by flowerpetal — 11:29 am August 25, 2010 #

  23. to flowerpetal

    http://cityofseattle.gov/util/Services/Garbage/Recycling_&_Disposal_Stations/Rates/index.htm

    Comment by Baba — 11:39 am August 25, 2010 #

  24. I wonder if this came from the house on Othello at 40th that was demolished last week.

    Comment by Jim — 11:54 am August 25, 2010 #

  25. Thanks Baba. My bad, I was quoting King County rates, not City rates. The comparable County rate is $102.05. Hmmmm, wonder if we can use the County transfer stations and save ourselves $47?

    Comment by flowerpetal — 11:57 am August 25, 2010 #

  26. There are likely some bills or junk mail in there with an address on it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a for-hire trash hauler doing this, looking to pocket the dump fee he charged the customer.

    Comment by I. Ponder — 12:01 pm August 25, 2010 #

  27. If it hasn’t been hauled off it, there is a good chance it can be traced. We had some building materials dumped on a property up in the San Juan Islands. They tracked it by finding a small bar code on a piece of sheet rock – tracked back to point of purchase, then to the credit card, then to the owner.

    Comment by Mark — 12:03 pm August 25, 2010 #

  28. This happens all the time on Myers Way and side streets. Boats, TVs, mattresses, furniture, microwaves, you name it, it’s been dumped. I find it funny (not really) when I see a fresh pile o’ crap right under the No Dumping sign and right next to the training facility. Nothing is done about it. Stuff will sit there for weeks before it’s cleared. The dumpers best hope that I don’t see them trash the neighborhood. They’ll end up in that pile…

    Comment by RP — 1:02 pm August 25, 2010 #

  29. If you think the disposal fees at the city’s transfer station are high, keep in mind that which cannot be recycled or composted is loaded on to a mile long train headed to eastern Oregon with six days departures weekly.

    So ask yourself would you rather the city subsidize the cost to the individual self hauler with general operating funds, or wage an effort to locate a landfill willing to accept our ever increasing waste stream at lower costs with a long term (10+ yr) contract? …or option C move to a ‘pay as you throw’ model?

    Comment by publicadministrator — 1:07 pm August 25, 2010 #

  30. Stuff is being dumped all over West Seattle..and down towards Alki too

    Comment by Michelle — 1:41 pm August 25, 2010 #

  31. I’m the original reporter. Wish I’d gotten out there a minute sooner to catch them in the act. At any rate, I just filed a dumping report with Seattle Public Utilities via: http://www2.seattle.gov/util/forms/illegalDumping/illegalDumpForm.asp

    There is more trash there than the neighbors can handle, so hopefully the city or county can help clean it up.

    Comment by JB — 1:58 pm August 25, 2010 #

  32. That’s disgusting. Look at that 5-panel door there! PEOPLE! Recycle your tear downs! Bring doors like that to Second Use. In all likelihood, that door could be something beautiful under all that paint – maybe clear-grain fir or oak, or mahogany!

    If folks who are pretending to take loads for trash would pull out the potentially reusable items and bring it to Second Use – RIGHT NEXT TO THE CITY DUMP btw – you can make get store credit from Second Use and then reduce the weight of the leftovers you bring for LEGAL DISPOSAL at the city waste site.

    Get with the program!!!

    Comment by d — 2:11 pm August 25, 2010 #

  33. After I got raped by the city dump I did some research, apparently RABANCO on 3rd and Lander charges only $80 a ton
    http://www.rabanco.com/recycle_center/lander.aspx
    Yes, I understand they have a $63.55 minimum, but that didn’t matter in my case (I had enough weight).
    $145 a ton at the city owned dump versus $80 at RABANCO, privately owned…
    Them RABANCO folks must have managed to find a much cheaper landfill?
    Do I need to say more???

    Comment by Baba — 3:08 pm August 25, 2010 #

  34. Sorry, to be fair to the city dump, there was about an 18 percent garbage tax!!! on top of that $80 per ton at RABANCO.
    Well that still makes it about $50 per ton cheaper then the south park transfer station.
    what a rip off !!!

    Comment by Baba — 3:23 pm August 25, 2010 #

  35. Rabanco requires you to have “dump truck/bed” I believe. That is, no hand unloading. That is what I have been told at least.

    Comment by BusinessOwner — 4:52 pm August 25, 2010 #

  36. I wish that Seattle would institute big pickup a couple times a year. Where I’m originally from they have that and it really does help with illegal dumping. In fact most of the stuff doesn’t actually make it to the dump because there are people who haul off the “good stuff” before the garbage trucks get there.

    Comment by nighthawk — 5:13 pm August 25, 2010 #

  37. It is as expensive for the person who gets dumped on to remove your trash as it for you … it’s not like there is some city service who comes and gets that stuff for you.. and if there is i need to know about it.
    we picked up a large garbage bag full of trash yesterday that someone left under the tree on our parking strip on 31st off thistle… not the first time either:(

    Comment by JoB — 5:14 pm August 25, 2010 #

  38. Someone dumped a truck load of trash in our neighborhood. He was driving a 1970/80 blue and white pick-up with wood racks on the side. His license plate (I believe) was b45228p. If anyone knows this POS please give him a talking to.

    Comment by Chris — 5:31 pm August 25, 2010 #

  39. BusinessOwner, not true, me and two hard working guys from the Home Depot parking lot went there 2 times already and hand unloaded everything. Yes, I have a lot of junk to haul… :)

    Comment by Baba — 5:31 pm August 25, 2010 #

  40. … it’s not like there is some city service who comes and gets that stuff for you.. and if there is i need to know about it.

    The city or county will pick up trash left on public property (alleys, parking strips, etc), if you file a report. Google “Seattle Report Illegal Dumping”. There is a form for reporting incidents inside and outside incorporated King County. If you fill out the wrong form, they forward the info to the correct agency.

    Then wait up to 14 business days (not sarcasm) and a crew will come by and clean it up….if it hasn’t already been composted or carried off by crows. (that last part was sarcasm)

    Obviously not suitable for a bag of trash, but it’s applicable for the heap pictured above.

    Comment by JB — 5:36 pm August 25, 2010 #

  41. I heard screaching and dumping/crunching noises. I got up to look out window and saw a white Ford with one of those truck beds that tilts like a dump truck…then I saw the trash. I went to my window that faced Trenton and saw what is pictured above. By the time I got my contacts in, I saw JB (?) out there sweeping and shoveling the street clear, then I called the cops only to have them say three other folks called it in already.
    I have to say I am grateful for watchful concerned neighbors, and a little bit angry that although JB and I called pretty much right away, it was not cleared by 1pm. It was cleared by the time I got home at 5, though. It was not fun getting to work this morning.

    Comment by CrystalizedGinger — 7:45 pm August 25, 2010 #

  42. I wonder if someone had gone through that pile if they might have found a Home Depot or other type of receipt to track a credit card or name. Then go to the tax records and find and owner of the house being remodeled and then ask who was in charge of getting rid of the trash. You gotta start somewhere, right? What ever happened to Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys?

    Comment by Chris — 7:57 pm August 25, 2010 #

  43. hey, baba. let’s just close the publicly-owned transfer stations altogether and save us taxpayers some serious dough. taking care of garbage isn’t in the constitution, after all.
    .
    the city has exactly two transfer stations that handle the entire city. the volume of trash/recyclables going to/through there warrants the higher dump fees.
    .
    don’t like it? then drive your crap to everett.

    Comment by mar3c — 6:28 am August 26, 2010 #

  44. The stuff is still there. Can someone direct me as to what needs to be done…is there someone I can call to help remove that stuff or is it just up to the people who live in the area to do it?

    Comment by ruforeal — 8:20 am August 26, 2010 #

  45. All gone now! As of 10am today. I wrote earlier it was cleared, but I should have clarified the south end of the area was cleared off to the side so we could leave…the north side of alley was still blocked.

    Comment by CrystalizedGinger — 10:11 am August 26, 2010 #

  46. I posted earlier but it was removed(I posted names and phone #), I did find names and phone # in the debris and I called them and left a message, I assume a contractor left it from a home remodel that was in fall city. How it ended up in WS is beyond me.

    Comment by wallace — 10:34 am August 26, 2010 #

  47. Good job Wallace; we’ll see if they call you back. I’ll bet they do with the info of the hauler.

    Comment by me on 28th Ave SW — 11:40 am August 26, 2010 #

  48. I dropped off the info I found in the debris to the southwest precinct station yesterday, hopefully the police can find out who did this.

    Comment by Wallace — 6:36 am August 27, 2010 #

  49. Unfortunately my situation with the cops in regards to dumping is that they are not interested unless they catch them in the act. A receipt/address in the debris is too circumstantial for court. Although I suspect that would not be the case if the dumping took place in a judges lawn.

    Comment by CandrewB — 9:01 am August 27, 2010 #

  50. Did some more searching. The house address on the receipt I found just had a remodel in july,I found out the contractors name through king county records, going to give them a call and see if they hauled away the construction debris or know who did.

    Comment by Wallace — 11:43 am August 27, 2010 #

  51. The garbage pile looks all to perfectly stacked, my guess is it’s a dump trunk, they drive in the alley, and dump it pretty quickly, bastards.

    Comment by David — 2:29 pm August 27, 2010 #

  52. Wallace, I admire your determination, but be careful out there. Don’t play RAMBO! Let the cops handle it. Thank you and Good Luck!

    Comment by Baba — 4:02 pm August 27, 2010 #

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