A Portland homeowner, Khanh Tran, has found himself in a distressing situation after discovering that his newly acquired property has become a dumping ground for illegal waste. His dream of owning a farm has quickly turned into a nightmare due to the discovery of hundreds of discarded rubber tyres on the 1.2-acre plot.
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Tran officially purchased the property in April, having navigated an agreement with the previous owner in February to clear away an initial 40 tyres. However, upon returning to the site on June 6, Tran was taken aback as he encountered what he described as an overwhelming number of tyres, some stacked six feet high, which continued to multiply over the months.
Describing his feelings of despair, Tran stated, “I feel hopeless. The reason I wanted to buy this property is because I think it’s in a beautiful location. I didn’t know the disaster that was going to come with it.” He suspects someone is collecting used tyres from local businesses under the pretense of recycling them, only to dispose of them illicitly on his land.
Heather Harmon, a neighbour of Tran, expressed her concerns regarding the situation. She fears that the accumulative tyres could ignite and pose a fire risk to her property. “I don’t know if they’re doing it overnight or while I’m at work; I never see anybody over there,” she remarked. The potential for a fire has heightened the anxiety amongst local residents.
Local reports from KATU 2 revealed that the tyres have made much of the property inaccessible, with numerous piles obstructing access to the house. Alarmingly, there is even an uninvited individual reportedly living on the grounds without permission, further complicating the already challenging situation for Tran.
Despite these setbacks, Tran remains determined to restore the property according to his dreams of farm life. “I wanted to live on the farm, and now I’ve found something that I think is worth every penny that I’ve put in there,” he said. “You’re in the city and you have 1.2 acres, where can you get that?”
Authorities are taking the matter seriously, with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) investigating the incident for possible trespassing and “offensive littering.” The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Metro are also involved in the investigation.
The MCSO has cautioned that the accumulation of tyres is not only a significant fire hazard but may also infringe upon Oregon’s waste tyre regulations. A spokesperson noted that in the past year, Metro’s RID Patrol had removed over 14,000 tyres from public locations in the greater Portland area.
Unfortunately for Tran, Metro’s RID Patrol cannot assist with cleaning up private property, leaving him to grapple with the daunting task of resolving the issue on his own. The lack of immediate assistance has exacerbated Tran’s feelings of isolation and hopelessness in the face of this growing problem.
As investigations unfold, residents and local authorities alike are hoping for a swift resolution to what has escalated into a grave public safety concern. As Tran continues to navigate this ordeal, he remains hopeful that his dream of farm ownership can still be fulfilled, despite the obstacles he now faces.