Dumped e-scooters raising environmental concerns

ATLANTA — E-scooters are everywhere, but we are noticing a big problem that could have an environmental impact.

People across the metro are throwing them in the water.

Channel 2's Craig Lucie found that the pond at Historic Fourth Ward Park has become an e-scooter dumping ground.

Some are freshly tossed, while others have been there for a while.

“I personally charge these things. It disheartens me way people think I’m making money. It's someone else's property,” said Lauren Hurley. “It makes me sad every time.”

Officials with the city of Atlanta told Lucie that the dumping of e-scooters is becoming a big issue.

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Lucie called the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper on Tuesday and met Mike Meyer, who is the Neighborhood Water Watch program director.

“Pretty much every time we go out, there is a new scooter in the creek bed. We’ve seen piles of them in the creek bed,” Meyer said.

Lucie found one in Proctor Creek during a neighborhood cleanup and others have posted pictures of e-scooters that have been all over the metro area.

There’s even an Instagram handle called BirdGraveyard, showing the crazy places e-scooters have turned up. The riverkeeper is worried about what’s in them.

“We are not sure the impact lithium ion batteries will have on waterways, so we’re still studying the impact,” Meyer said.

Lucie called the city of Atlanta on Tuesday after he found the e-scooters in the water. The city told him it was sending someone out to remove them.

Cox Media Group