Two illegal dumpers have been ordered to pay thousands of dollars for dumping piles of rubbish in the City of Swan.
Illegal dumping is a major problem for the Swan community, harming the environment, costing ratepayers and creating safety hazards.
At the Midland Magistrates Court in July, one offender paid the price for illegal dumping after pleading guilty to three charges under the Litter Act 1979.
The court agreed that the offender knew the materials should have been disposed of at an appropriate facility when he dumped them illegally. The materials included rotting food waste, smashed glass, flammable canisters and used tyres.
The court imposed a penalty of $1500 and ordered the offender to pay the city $809 for legal costs and $2719 for clean-up costs.
In a separate matter, the court fined another offender $500 and ordered them to pay the City $1128 for legal costs and $735 for clean-up costs.
In that case, the court noted the illegally dumped materials were potentially blocking an emergency access way.
Cleaning up illegal dumping cost the city more than $1 million in the 2023-24 financial year.
Tanya Richardson, City of Swan Mayor, welcomed the court’s rulings and congratulated city staff on their investigations.
Richardson said the city would continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to illegal dumping.
“Not only is it unsightly, but illegal dumping also pollutes the environment, harms our flora and fauna and can impact human health,” she said.
“We’re lucky to have so many beautiful natural assets in the City of Swan, including the Swan River, and it’s a shame to see people choosing to do the wrong thing.
“People have plenty of options for disposing of the rubbish. There’s no excuse for illegal dumping.”
For more information, visit: www.swan.wa.gov.au
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