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Curbside scavenging now prohibited during flood recovery efforts

Emergency ordinance makes activity a misdemeanor crime

 

DEARBORN, Mich. -  The City Council, at the request of Mayor John B. O'Reilly, Jr., on Wednesday approved an emergency ordinance that prohibits curbside scavenging of trash in Dearborn.

The ordinance makes it a misdemeanor crime for people to remove items set out at the curb for trash pickup.  The punishment is up to a $500 fine and 93 days in jail.

Residents should report scavengers to the police at the non-emergency number of 943-2241 or the anonymous suspicious activity line at 943-3030.

The emergency ordinance will expire in 61 days, unless the council takes further action. The intent at this time is to ban the activity only during flood recovery efforts.

"For health and safety reasons, we can't have people looking through trash bags and searching through piles of materials that are sometimes five feet high. We really can't tell what is in the bags, but we know that materials are damaged from the flood, most likely contaminated with sewage. It is just not safe," Mayor O'Reilly said.

In addition, reports have come in about scavengers creating litter by sorting through materials on curbs. Littering is a misdemeanor crime.

The anti-scavenging ordinance follows the Mayor's declaration of an emergency on Aug. 13. That declaration was extended on Wednesday as well.