Zachary Ballard, left, and Leonard Hughes have been charged with illegally dumping light bulbs. (Photo courtesy Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office)
FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Two men face charges for allegedly dumping or storing more than 35,000 fluorescent lamps containing mercury, including using a tractor to push the bulbs into a stream which ends at the Horicon Marsh.
Leonard Hughes faces six counts, including three of unlicensed disposal of hazardous waste and two counts of resisting a warden. He appeared in court Tuesday, where a signature bond was set. He returns to court Oct. 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Zachary Ballard faces misdemeanor counts for allegedly intentionally depositing garbage into state waters, and bail jumping. He appeared in court Tuesday, where a signature bond was set. He returns to court Oct. 30 for a status conference.
In August, 2022, Hughes allegedly paid Ballard $500 to allow him to dump several trailers full of light bulbs on a property in Brandon. Hughes admitted to the deal, and provided a copy of the contract with Ballard. But neither had the proper license, the state alleges.
Hughes told investigators he bought and sold semi-trailers, and learned one he purchased contained a load of bulbs.
Some of the materials were dumped on the ground. The DNR “estimated that there were approximately 5,680 intact fluorescent lamps at the property. He could not estimate the number of crushed and broken lamps,” the complaint states.
“Warden Hankee saw and photographed many broken and unbroken fluorescent lamps on the property and pushed into a stream on the property. Warden Hankee also saw and photographed deep ruts in the ground where Ballard had used a tractor to push the containers of bulbs into a stream on the property. Hankee saw and photographed many broken fluorescent lamps in the stream,” according to the complaint.
The stream flows into Ladoga Creek, which feeds the West Branch Rock River, ending in the Horicon Marsh.
Other lamps were found in trailers on a second property.
“DNR personnel found approximately 6,237 fluorescent lamps, most of them whole, some broken. DNR personnel took samples of broken lamps and unbroken fluorescent lamps. Inside the second trailer, an unenclosed, dilapidated semi-trailer, DNR personnel found approximately 24,192 fluorescent lamps, most whole, some broken. Again, DNR personnel took samples of broken lamps and unbroken fluorescent lamps,” the complaint states.
“Fluorescent lamps contain mercury and older fluorescent lamps contain higher levels of mercury. While mercury is a naturally occurring element, exposure to mercury can cause serious health effects in humans, fish, and wildlife. For this reason, fluorescent lamps that are manufactured to contain mercury in concentrations at or above 0.20 mg/L are classified as hazardous waste,” the criminal complaint states. “Three samples—one soil sample, and two broken lamps—exceeded .025 mg/L mercury. This is above the level for a fluorescent lamp to be considered a hazardous waste.”
The resisting counts for Hughes are because he allegedly lied about the trailer contents.
“Hughes confirmed that he had lied to wardens the prior summer when he said that the other four trailers were filled with “pallets” and that he had sold these trailers,” the complaint states.
Although the dumping allegedly happened in 2022, charges were filed last month.
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