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A 53-year-old Yangebup man has been fined and ordered to pay costs of nearly $5,000 after being caught on camera dumping furniture, white goods and household rubbish in Wattleup.
Steven James Papalia of Yangebup was accused of dumping and littering on four separate occasions on Torgoyle Reserve in Wattleup in October and November 2019.
Magistrate Joanne Andretich fined Mr Papalia $3,500 under the Environmental Protection Act and Litter Act, as well as costs of $1,157.80, for two counts of dumping, two counts of littering and two counts of failing to provide information.
Magistrate Andretich added that a significant fine was warranted in recognition of the persistent course of conduct and because of the non-degradable nature of the materials dumped.
“This is a timely reminder that every time someone dumps rubbish and waste someone must clean it up, and someone has to pay for that – usually either taxpayers or ratepayers,” said Environment Minister, Stephen Dawson.
“People who illegally dump waste should be warned that DWER officers are out there actively trying to catch them, and when they do, offenders will be prosecuted.”
All six convictions came as a result of a covert camera operation run by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) which caught the perpetrator dumping the material.Â
