An old mattress beside a mountain road. Tires pushed down an embankment. An abandoned RV left for someone else to remove.
Cleaning up those messes takes more than a willingness to help. It can require equipment, transportation, disposal fees and hours of work—along with an investigation into who left the material behind.
Three California laws signed this fall address different parts of that problem, from supporting abandoned-RV removal to strengthening enforcement against illegal dumping. Taking effect January 1, 2027, the measures could provide additional tools for communities dealing with unwanted waste on roadsides, public land and private property.
A Problem With Local History
Illegal dumping is not a new concern in the mountain area…