The topic of illegal dumping has been one of the most controversial in the Gila Valley, with some citizens saying the dumping is a direct result of the landfill fees and others saying this kind of pollution has been happening for years -- long before any fees were implemented.

The trash, however, is being dumped, no matter what the reason, and it brings with it serious implications regarding health and the environment.

Illegal or wildcat dumping is defined by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality as disposing of waste in an improper manner and/or location and in violation of waste disposal laws.

Landfills are specially designed to decrease the risk of health problems caused at the dump site. There are regulations new landfills must obey to ensure the safety of people in the community.

"The new dump sites have to be set in soil that has no risk of contaminating the groundwater," Gila Resources CEO Ken Mecham said. "There is a membrane liner and collection system for moisture that is produced during the decaying of organic materials."

That moisture production occurs in large amounts of waste and emits methane gas -- something else the landfill must monitor, Mecham said.

Every night, the trash that has been dumped throughout the day is covered with at least six inches of soil to keep animals and birds away from the garbage. Wild varmints -- such as rats -- and birds could eat the garbage at night if it were not covered. If they were to eat something hazardous and become sick, that disease could be passed to humans, Mecham said.

Some large deposits of trash have been illegally dumped near the Gila River, but there has been no indication that any hazardous materials have been dumped on the ground or into the river.

Graham County Health Department Director Neil Karnes would not speculate on what effects may occur with regard to these locations because an analysis of all the types or quantities of materials that have been dumped has not been completed, he said. The Health Department is also unaware of how long the refuse has been lining the Gila River, but efforts are being made to have those areas cleaned up.

"It is unfortunate that these situations arise and that we seem to have a few residents of the community who do not seem to have any respect for the environment, the rule of law or their neighbor's property," Karnes said.

When household and construction waste is dumped in an illegal area, it is unlikely that there will be enough of it to produce enough moisture for the garbage to emit methane. The real danger is with hazardous material. By having a landfill, Gila Resources and other agencies can monitor what comes into the dump site and properly dispose of hazardous materials.

"When materials are being illegally dumped, we don't always know if it is household trash or industrial waste," Mecham said. "We can't monitor the waste outside our landfill, and that makes it even more dangerous to the community."

Concerned citizens from Solomon to Pima, have voiced concerns regarding wildcat dumpers but, unfortunately, it is very hard to prosecute those who dump illegally, Graham County Supervisor Drew John said.

"The best thing people can do is call law enforcement officials immediately," he said. "If an officer can catch the person in the act, it is much easier to issue citations and implement punishments.

Otherwise, it becomes one person's word against another."

Even if pieces of the trash have a person's name on them, people come up with stories, making it very difficult to prosecute them, John said.

The landfill committee is working on a program that will not only create harsher penalties for wildcat dumping but also create pride in the community by asking people to not dump outside of the designated places and to report those who do.

Contact Lindsey Stockton at 428-2560 (ext. 240) or e-mail her at lindsey@eacourier.com.