The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is seeking help from the public to find who illegally dumped a container with an oily tar-like substance in East Toledo in early July.

The roll-off style container, approximately 15 feet by six feet, was dumped at a secluded site in the York Street, Otter Creek Road and Collins Park Avenue area sometime between July 9-11.

The box container has two pipes in the bottom running the length of it, according to the Ohio EPA.

The tar-like material inside had three to four inches of water on top of it. The Toledo Division of Environmental Services has covered the box to prevent more storm water from entering, according to the Ohio EPA.

Samples of the material were taken. The container and its contents will be properly disposed of after sample results are received.

The state and local environmental investigators are asking the public for tips to help locate the person or business responsible.

Open dumping is illegal and carries steep penalties.

In 2005, according to the Ohio EPA, the owner of an automobile scrap yard dumped several drums containing leaky waste fuel at several sites throughout Mansfield, Ohio. Some of the fuel leaked onto the ground at one of the sites and into a nearby storm drain before getting into a nearby stream.

The Ohio EPA conducted an investigation. A break in the case came when someone who had helped clean up the drums at the auto scrapyard came forward with information. The owner pled to illegal disposal of hazardous waste and was sentenced to 90 days in jail; a $10,000 fine; $5,000 restitution; 200 hrs of community service; and five years probation.

The Ohio EPA and Toledo DES are seeking information on which industries use this type of box. Anyone with information is asked to call the Ohio EPA’s Northwest District Office in Bowling Green at (419) 352-8461 or 1-800-686-6930, Ohio EPA’s 24-hour spill hotline at 1-800-282-9378, or Toledo DES at (419) 936-3015.

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