JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
The NCO in charge of service contracts for the 628th Civil Engineer Squadron has noticed a trend at various locations on Joint Base Charleston recently.
Master Sgt. Jon Hammond, who began duties with service contracts in June 2009, said his observations in recent months have revealed several isolated incidents of dumping around the base - an activity which is explicitly prohibited by the installation commander, and in certain cases posted clearly where infractions have occurred.
Violations have included dumping at the base paint storage yard, the bulk disposal yard and the base theater. Items dumped have included microwaves, a refrigerator, fitness equipment, child car seats, shelving units, an aquarium, carpeting, bed framing, chairs, wooden pallets, file cabinets, washing machines and others household items.
Besides the ethical violation, illegal dumping on base also presents difficulty for those who must in turn clean up the mess.
"When people dump things like that it really causes a big headache. We have to go back and get the heavy machinery guys to bring their equipment to load our cans," said Don Parish, a refuse driver for the base. "The things that get dumped are so awkward and bulky and heavy that we can't even pick it up."
The refuse driver's safety was of particular concern, said Sergeant Hammond, due the weight and size of the items requiring cleanup. The solution, he said, was for individuals on base to first understand the regulation existed, and secondly to abide by the policy.
Another trend noticed was the dumping of waste into the base's bulk disposal area at random times, rather than scheduled pickup times, indicating a possible misunderstanding how the area is to be used. By dropping waste off at the scheduled times, a waste truck is on-scene to pick up the waste directly from members, preventing waste buildup and safety hazards.
From a legal perspective, dumping is in clear violation of current state statues. Military members and civilians who dump trash on private or public property violate South Carolina Code 16-11-700. If the waste is hazardous, federal law also provides for criminal prosecution with far more severe penalties.
Depending on the amount of trash, a person can be:
· Imprisoned for one year
· Fined $1,000
· Responsible for restoring the property
· Ordered to pay damages to the owner
· Ordered to perform community service cleaning up litter
Additionally, unauthorized dumping of trash also constitutes a dereliction of duty under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
According to Capt. Jacob Nist, 628th Air Base Wing assistant staff judge advocate, a person who willfully dumps their trash on base faces a maximum sentence of a bad-conduct discharge, confinement for six months, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and reduction in rank.
If injury results from illegal dumping or an individual knowingly endangers others by doing so, one can expect harsher penalties, he said.
To properly dispose of normal household waste on base, main base housing pickup occurs each Monday. In the case of a federal holiday falling on Monday, pickup moves to Tuesday. Hunley Park refuse pickup occurs each Friday.
For yard waste, such as leaves and branches, pickup occurs base-wide each Wednesday. Recycling is collected by Charleston County every other week.
For pickup of bulk items, the base offers curbside pickup. The next pickup is scheduled for April 14. Subsequent pickups are scheduled through September for the second Wednesday of each month. If an item must be disposed of before a curbside pickup, the bulk disposal yard is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 10 a.m. The disposal yard is located in the vicinity of Outdoor Recreation and the base veterinary clinic.
For additional information on refuse pickup, call service contracts at 963-5008.