Over 1 In 3 Plainfield Residents Admit To Illegal Dumping: Survey

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield has an illegal dumping problem, according to a new survey. Nearly 40 percent of residents have admitted to illegally dumping unwanted items.

Plainfield residents may store less unused goods than the rest of the country, but they improperly dispose of them more than other Americans. That's according to a new survey by Chicago-based cleaning company ServiceMaster of Lake Shore, which polled 7,000 Americans to gauge their hoarding and dumping habits.

In Plainfield, the survey found that residents are hoarding $364.19 worth of unused items in their home. That's less than the national average of $390.16, according to ServiceMaster. Locally, 67 percent of survey respondents found that their unused items pose a fire hazard.

When it comes to illegal dumping, 39 percent of Plainfield residents said they have improperly disposed of unwanted items. That's well above the national average of 26 percent.

Plainfield has had some well-known cases of illegal dumping. Local farmer Herman Fritz was charged in 2015 with numerous counts of illegal dumping, after a Chicago Tribune investigation found decades-worth of complaints against his farm and no legal action taken. Shortly after surrendering on charges he illegally dumped farm waste, scrap metal and other items, Fritz died in a car crash.

The Village of Plainfield contracts with Waste Management for trash and recycling pick-up. Waste Management is available for special home pickups for some household items that can't be placed in garbage bins. For more information on the village's waste removal policies and services, click here.