Illegal dumping vexes cities Throughout the pandemic, officials and news reports across the country have revealed case after case of illegal dumping problems. While culprit items often include auto parts, furniture or construction materials, recent examples include inappropriately ditching speared fish and even a headstone. Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin recently issued a report highlighting that illegal dumping of trash, debris and hazardous items in the city’s public areas spiked 450% between 2016 and 2020. Galperin called the problem one “of equity as much as it is of health and safety.” LA, which the sanitation department said is a participant in the CalRecycle Illegal Dumping Technical Advisory Committee, is set to weigh recommendations from the controller’s office meant to target root causes of the problem and better enforce the law. They include increasing the number of cleanup crews, expanding the surveillance camera program, and raising fines for offenders. Also on the list are heightening oversight of commercial trash customers and construction projects and creating a public awareness campaign to spotlight free and low-cost trash disposal services. The city council has not yet reviewed or made decisions on the recommendations, a controller’s office spokesperson said.