Huge piles of junk and garbage dumped illegally trashes Nipomo Clean Up Day

What was suppose to be a positive community event last weekend in Nipomo has instead become something much different.

On Saturday, an all-volunteer crew held a “Nipomo Community Clean Up Day.” It included volunteers from a number of local organizers, including Boy Scout Troop 450, Nipomo Lions Club, Rotary Club of Nipomo and more.

The event was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and last until all the large collection bins filled up.

The bins are located at a vacant parking lot at the corner of South Frontage Road and Hill Street.

“The overall intent was to get the big stuff,” said lead organizer Richard Malvarose. “The vehicles, the water heaters, tires, furniture, all those kinds of things.”

The event was so popular, all 13 bins were full by 11:30 a.m.

However, the full bins did not stop people from dropping off trash throughout the rest of the weekend.

“People just continued to dump,” said Malvarose. “One car after another, just dumping stuff on the ground.”

As the dumping continued, the mess became unorganized and continued to grow larger and larger.

“Mattresses were sorted out. Tires were sorted out. Scrap metal was sorted out,” Malvarose said. “All that stuff was put into containers to be hauled off and it’s all mixed up now.”

On Monday, Malvarose and a handful of volunteers spent their day combing through the trash, much of it stuff that wasn’t suppose to be collected in the first place.

Organizers specifically said in promotions that trash was not to include household garbage, green waste and hazardous materials.

“There’s nails and glass and metal and fluids of all kinds, cardboard, plastics,” said Malvarose. “There’s garbage bags full of dirty diapers. You name it, it’s out here.”

For many in the community, they say it’s a black eye and embarrassment people would treat their town this way.

“I’m disappointed,” said volunteer Dan Diaz. “Common sense tells you when you’re done, you’re done, but people just don’t care about those type of things.”

Complicating the situation, the trash continues to grow as people continue to add to it.

On Monday, people in trucks stopped off and dumped trash in broad daylight, even as volunteers, such as Malvarose and Diaz worked.

“Unfortunately, some people have interpreted this to be the new dump, which it’s not,” said Malvarose. “It’s kind of what it looks like right now. I’m just waiting for the seagulls to show up and then it would be official.”

Throughout the day, Malvarose worried how the trash would be removed and who exactly would pay for it.

Fortunately, there appears to be an answer.

San Luis Obispo County Code Enforcement Supervisor Art Trinidade paid a visit to the site and he wants the trash removed as soon as possible.

He said he’s working on ways removal could begin as soon as tomorrow.

Trinidad also asked for an increase in law enforcement presence at the site.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department will have increased patrols in the area until the debris is removed.

Trinidad also stressed anyone caught dumping will face a $1,000 fine or six months in jail.