Illegal Dumping, Junk Cars, and Backyard Burns Can Land You in County Court

A cheap cleanup trailer can cost more than it saves. Ector County warns that if you hire someone to haul waste and they dump it in a ditch or on private land, charges can come back to you too.

A junked vehicle can also become a county case. If it is visible from a public place or right-of-way, the county treats it as a public nuisance. A conviction can bring a Class C misdemeanor fine and a court order to remove it.

Backyard burning has its own hard line. Do not burn tires, plastics, treated lumber, furniture, carpet, wire, appliances, oils, asphalt, or chemical waste. Land-clearing burns need TCEQ authorization; air-quality questions go to 432-570-1359.