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Residents say volunteers removed nearly 10,000 pounds of trash from Highway 3; raise public-health concerns about encampments
Summary
A public commenter described recent volunteer cleanups on Highway 3 and urged the council to coordinate proactive policing and enforcement, citing concerns about untreated human waste contaminating nearby shellfish beds.
A Shelton resident summarized recent volunteer cleanups on Highway 3 and urged city leaders to coordinate with police to address encampment-related trespass, vandalism and potential water contamination.
"After we got through some conversations, we ended up removing almost 4,000 pounds of garbage from the hill," the commenter said, adding that earlier efforts added roughly another 5,000 pounds, producing what the speaker described as "almost 10,000 pounds of garbage off of that hill." The speaker asked council members to consider policing and enforcement measures and to discuss the issue with the police chief and captain.
The commenter warned of potential public-health risks tied to human waste at the site. Citing national averages, they said, "the average human being in the United States produces 1,700 pounds of waste per year," and estimated 50 people living on the bank would therefore produce "85,000 pounds of untreated waste up on that hill." The commenter added that "a 5 gallon bucket can contaminate 13 acres of shellfish," and calculated that the conditions at the site could correspond to "3,400 buckets of raw human waste running off that hill into the bed." The speaker framed these numbers as reasons for a proactive city response.
The commenter also asked the council to coordinate with police on trespass notices and inspections of businesses reporting vandalism or damage, saying there are "numerous businesses that have no trespassing letters on file" and that officers are encountering repeated trespass and vandalism at some sites.
Council staff did not record a formal action or vote on the public comment; the remarks were made during the meeting's public comment period. No city staff statement or police response to the specific claims was included in the transcript.
The public comment included references to local volunteer groups, including Recovery Cafe participants and a team formed by Dee's Custom Woodwork, credited with organizing cleanups.
