Video: Katusha Alpecin staff dump septic tank on highway at Tour of California, get suspended

Two members of Swiss cycling team Katusha Alpecin's staff have been sent home early from the Tour of California after being caught on camera dumping the contents of a septic tank on to a California highway.

A video posted to YouTube by user Ryan Patrick Early allegedly shows team members of Katusha Alpecin spraying water at what appears to be the contents of a septic tank.

In the video Early can be heard calling out the dumpers for ruining the environment, but a verbal slap wasn't the only punishment the dumpers received.

It has been reported that Tour of California officials have suspended the men responsible for the dumping, with spokesman from the race Michael Roth clarifying that the Tour of California has "a zero-tolerance policy for desecrating areas along the route."

Roth also said that the race organisers will be contacting the world cycling governing body, the UCI, to inquire about further sanctions.

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Mr. Early's caption for the video states that Katusha Alpecin were "dumping raw sewage from their RV on the side of highway 330," and that the highway itself lies parallel to "running springs."

The fact that this dumping is not only antisocial but runs a health risk leads us to believe that the UCI will take further action against the Swiss team.

In the UCI's tour organiser's guide there is a section that deals with environmental damage. It states: "The inappropriate management of harmful environmental effects relating to the organization of a cycling event may not only severely damage the reputation of the event itself but can also be detrimental to the sport of cycling in general." 

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In the video, Mr Early can be heard saying: "This is what we get when you guys come to Big Bear for the race. Team 154 dumping their septic tank. I’ve informed the CHP [California Highway Patrol]."

Reports suggest that CHP officers arrived at the scene shortly after and used hazmat equipment to sterilise and clear up the area.