Chief Steven J. Wojnar

Dudley Chief of Police

            Our office is frequently contacted about the illegal disposal of trash.  People or businesses that maintain dumpsters on their property often time discover the trash of others in these containers.  I was asked about the laws surrounding this act and the potential penalties violators could face.

            Several portions of the law cover illegal dumping of trash.  The section which deals with this specifically is Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 266 Section 146.  It states in part, “Whoever willfully and without right deposits solid waste in a commercial disposal container of another without the consent of the owner or other person who has legal custody, care or control thereof shall be punished…”  It is very specific to address the issue of trash disposal.   It must be with permission and or consent of the custodian of the container. 

            The penalty for a violation is a fine ranging from one hundred dollars to one thousand dollars.  Other actions may be sought to reimburse the container owner for the costs associated with the proper disposal of the items, if the situation should warrant.  Most waste can be traced to an original owner in some way.  It is important to dispose of trash properly.  If there is a need to dispose of some trash in this way, seek the permission of the owner.  An arrangement could be made which would cost significantly less than one thousand dollar fine.

            I wish to thank Representative Paul Kujawski for sponsoring a cookout for our local senior citizens on Wednesday August 30th.  The event took place at the Dudley Senior Center and was well attended by many local seniors.  Everyone appeared to have a good time and enjoy the food (despite my cooking assistance) and entertainment.  The plan is to make this an annual event to say thanks to all the seniors of our community for their various contributions over the years.

Once again, the Dudley Police Department, along with many other state and local agencies throughout the Commonwealth, will be participating in the “Click It or Ticket” and “You Drink, You Drive, You Lose” campaign sponsored through a grant from the Governors Highway Safety Bureau.  There will be designated patrols on the roadways focusing on erratic or aggressive operators.  Please be aware of these additional officers out on patrol and remember to buckle up and drive defensively.

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