Illegal dumping across the City of Canning could face tougher enforcement after councillors unanimously backed a push to crack down on repeat offenders.
At the September 16 council meeting, Cr Michelle Hurn moved a motion requesting the City prepare a detailed report on dumping patterns, prosecution levels and possible changes to services.
The report will be presented at a Strategic Issues Briefing in December.
Cr Hurn said “illegal rubbish dumping around the City of Canning is at unacceptable levels,” and that residents expect officers to act.
“The community has a high expectation that City officers will identify and remove illegally dumped rubbish promptly,” she said.
“This comes at a high cost to City of Canning, beyond the usual cost of rubbish disposal. This also inadvertently creates an on-call, no-cost rubbish disposal service to the perpetrators of illegal dumping that is not available to City of Canning ratepayers but is funded by City of Canning ratepayers.”
She pointed to patterns such as large numbers of mattresses and nitrous oxide canisters dumped at the same time, furniture left on verges at the end of university semesters, and spikes in rubbish around the City’s roadside collection periods.
“It is my view that there are businesses routinely dumping rubbish around City of Canning and other local government areas to avoid disposal costs,” Cr Hurn said.
She added that City CCTV and other information sources could be used to pursue prosecutions.
The motion was carried 9-0, with support from Mayor Patrick Hall, Deputy Mayor Mark Bain, and all councillors present.
“In accordance with the resolution endorsed by Elected Members, City Officers will now collate the requested information and present back to Council by 2 December 2025,” a City of Canning spokesperson said.
