Pasco County is cracking down on illegal dumping at charity donation sites. It’s now considering a county ordinance to hold owners of the bins accountable.

  • Proposed ordinance includes removal of bins, and fines
  • County already has cleaned up some of the sites

It's not too uncommon to see donation sites turn into junkyards. In Pasco County, Commissioner Mike Moore said some of the donation sites aren’t even real charities. They’re illegal bins left in areas to collect goods.

It’s been so bad that the county has gone out and cleaned up some of them itself because of the ongoing problem.

“Recently this area turned into a massive dump site. We’re talking tons of TVs, couches, mattresses,” Moore said. He was talking about an area on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

“It then got to the point that people were just dumping their trash here. It all started with one of those charity bins -- we as a county cleaned this area up even though it’s private property because it was such an eye sore.”

However, with the proposed ordinance it would ensure charity bins are permitted through the county and that they have property owner permission for its location.

If they aren't permitted and kept clean, they will be removed and the organization will be fined. A fine amount has not been set.

The public will have a chance to comment at upcoming public hearings.