Illegal dumpers have been ordered to pay more than $17,000 in fines, court and clean-up costs last month following successful prosecutions by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).
In one case, Cassandra Anne Bosich and Damion John De Bari were employed via Airtasker to demolish a bathroom in Merriwa and dispose of the waste.
Rather than legally dispose of the waste, the pair dumped it in State Forest in Nowergup.
DWER inspectors were able to trace the waste back to the Merriwa property and subsequently charged Bosich and De Bari with illegal dumping.
The pair was sentenced at Joondalup Magistrates Court and fined $2500 each and ordered to pay more than $700 in court costs.
In another case, Benjamin Todd Ordway pleaded guilty to three charges of illegal dumping after he was captured on hidden surveillance cameras used by DWER.
The cameras captured Ordway entering Matison Street in Southern River with a Mitsubishi truck with its tray filled with mixed waste on three occasions. Ordway then offloaded the contents of the truck on the side of the road, before driving off with an empty tray each time.
Ordway pleaded guilty and was fined $12,000 along with court costs of $753 following sentencing at Armadale Magistrates Court. He was also ordered to pay $1016.98 in clean-up costs to the City of Gosnells.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Illegal dumping has a significant impact on our environment and these convictions send a strong message to the community that it is not tolerated.
"The Department uses a number of investigative tools to help capture and convict illegal dumpers.
"There are no excuses for illegal dumping and offenders are likely to receive fines that significantly exceed the costs of disposing of waste legally."
Minister's office - 6552 5800
