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Worcester May Shame People Who Illegally Dump Trash

WORCESTOR (CBS) - The city of Worcester is calling for a major clean up.

"I see a lot of trash, people throw trash over there, and over there -- on the bridge," Tam Tran said.

"People are just frustrated nobody wants someone who doesn't live in their neighborhood or someone who doesn't live in the city to drive down and throw trash out their window," Ellie Gilmore added.

Gilmore, who works for Worcester Common Ground, says people call to report people dumping right in front of their homes.

Worcester Trash
The city of Worcester is trying to prevent people from leaving their trash on the side of the street. (WBZ)

The city of Worcester says if you don't dispose of trash the right way, you're going to pay.

"There's been individuals come out, they are driving down the street. Take the bag and throw it out. We don't want it here. We don't want trash in our neighborhoods," Dan Cahill, the Senior Sanitation Inspector explained.

On top of facing fines anywhere from $200 to $2,000, the city's quality of life task force is hitting the streets. Even looking through the trash to find out who is illegally dumping it.

The cameras show that Walpole Street is a huge dumping spot and it's not just bags of trash there are items much bigger.

"I've seen that mattresses or old furniture, they are just sitting there on the side of the streets. There are people who just don't care," Jose Rivera explained.

There are over 20 cameras all waiting to catch the license plates of offenders.

Worcester Trash
Cameras waiting to capture offenders. (WBZ)

The city is also going to start putting names out there.

"We hope it will because you know I wouldn't want my name plastered all over the place for illegally dumping items. Put some shame to it, you see a relative, a friend dumping, you say what are you doing," Cahill said.

The hope, to finally stop people from illegally dumping their trash over and over again.

"I think it's a great idea, putting cameras around to shame some of those people," Rivera added.

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