Supervisor Perez Organizes Clean-Up for Saturday to Tackle Illegal Dumping in Mecca
MECCA – Supervisor V. Manuel Perez has organized a community clean-up for Saturday and welcomes volunteers to join him and the Fourth District team in removing trash and bulky items from Avenue 64 in Mecca in the morning.
MECCA – Supervisor V. Manuel Perez has organized a community clean-up for Saturday and welcomes volunteers to join him and the Fourth District team in removing trash and bulky items from Avenue 64 in Mecca in the morning.
The clean-up is scheduled from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 12 for Avenue 64, between Date Palm Street and Johnson Street, in Mecca.
Illegal dumping has been proliferating in the eastern Coachella Valley and in other parts of the Coachella Valley and the Blythe area. Supervisor Perez set up this clean-up to urgently address the dumping along this highly traveled avenue, and is working with partners to prevent illegal dumping long-term.
“I was recently sent photos and videos showing illegal dumping that’s occurred in our eastern Coachella Valley, and it’s terrible,” said Supervisor Perez. “We’re organizing a clean-up because we can’t prolong this any longer. Unfortunately, illegal dumping has been an ongoing issue for a long time in our unincorporated communities and it’s a hazard that’s getting worse. I appreciate everyone who is helping us with this clean-up and joining us on Saturday to help make a difference.”
The county will provide all the tools necessary for volunteers such as gloves, vests and water. It is expected to be hot. Volunteers are advised to come early, stay hydrated, dress appropriately (no shorts or sandals), wear sunblock and stay safe.
Over 100 volunteers will be there, along with several county departments, Burrtec and community groups assisting the effort. The Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District is also assisting with the clean-up and paying costs for Burrtec’s equipment.
After a yearlong closure during the pandemic, the Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District has recently reopened its T.O.M. site once a month for residents of the eastern Coachella Valley to dispose of their bulky waste items. The T.O.M. site will be open from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday to accept items including tires (without rims), appliances, furniture, mattresses and e-waste. The T.O.M. site is open to residents of Thermal, Oasis, Mecca and Vista Santa Rosa, and is located at Highway 111 and Avenue 63.
Volunteers should register by emailing [email protected] or calling Supervisor Perez’s office at 760-863-8211.
From December 2020 to June 2021, the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources removed illegally dumped trash from 328 locations in eastern Riverside County, totaling 433 tons collected, 273 mattresses, and 600 tires. During the same time period, the department completed 216 graffiti work orders. The department annually holds free bulky waste and household hazardous waste disposal events which provide alternatives to illegal dumping.
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Supervisor V. Manuel Perez represents the eastern two-thirds of Riverside County on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Stretching from Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, south to the Salton Sea and east to Blythe and the Colorado River, the 4th District is the largest geographical district in the county.
Supervisor Perez’s office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
