The levee patrol prosecuted several violators and the news story was picked up by a local reporter. Public awareness rose and illegal dumping decreased. Require Clean-up Requiring litterers and illegal dumpers to clean up the litter or actual dump is a common penalty. Illinois may require that the violator be supervised by a bailiff and require the costs of the bailiff to be paid by the violator. Washington State indemnifies property owners that grant access to the land for the cleanup of litter or illegally dumped wastes.
Some states require the property owner's permission to enter and remove the illegal dumped items.
At least one state court has addressed the issue of whether this court ordered penalty raises potential trespass issues if the property owners did not consent. The court held that such a court order would not be trespassing on private property to clean up illegally dumped garbage if entered under the authority of Connecticut's Environmental Protection's final order or with consent of the private property owner. Many state penalty provisions require the violator to remove the litter or items illegally dumped or to pay the removal costs. The violator's cost to clean up the illegal dump typically exceeds the reasonable fees charged at legal dumps. To cleanup illegal dump sites more quickly, the state or local government may clean up the dump and recover the costs from the dumper when prosecuted.