Thread: AZ-Border area near Yuma slated for trash cleanup

Border area near Yuma slated for trash cleanup
September 19th, 2008 @ 7:36am
by Jayme West/KTAR

A massive cleanup is planned for Saturday along the Mexican border near Yuma.

Illegal immigrants are trashing the area and it ``is strewn with litter and debris, old articles of clothing that may be soiled, backpacks, discarded water bottles, food containers," said Steve Owens, director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Security.

DEQ and the Cocopah Tribe are partnering for the one-day cleanup of a stretch of land on the Cocopah Reservation.

``We're expecting that we'll clean up between 20 and 30 tons of everything from water bottles and food containers to plastic bags, backpacks, materials," said Owens.

Owens said the trash problem in border areas will not improve until something is done about illegal immigration.

``Some of this is just going to keep happening because, as long as people are coming across the border illegally -- bringing with them all kinds of materials and supplies, then dumping that stuff in the desert -- there's going to be a recurring problem," Owens said.

The trash left in the desert by border-crossers contaminates the soil, he said.

http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=961389

20 -30 TONS of garbage.......that is unreal.

Take the illegals out of the jails and form work details to clean it up. Or would that be cruel and unusual punishment.

Originally Posted by vic

Take the illegals out of the jails and form work details to clean it up. Or would that be cruel and unusual punishment.

Not crual and unusual punishment at all. Sheriff Joe should take his pink boxer group down there to do it since the trash is most likely theirs to begin with.