The city of Oakland is frustrated with illegal dumping and is trying out some new solutions. This includes doubling fines and sending out drones, hoping to keep the streets clean.
Thursday, April 16, 2026 8:55PMThe city of Oakland is frustrated with illegal dumping and is trying out some new solutions. This includes doubling fines and sending out drones, hoping to keep the streets clean.
'About 25,000 calls that we received this year,' he said. The longtime Oakland city councilmember says, while illegal dumping has always been a problem, it's now a crisis.
'The reality is that we need to enforce the law,' Gallo said. And enforcing the law is exactly what the Oakland city council intends to do. On Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to double the fine for illegal dumping to $5,000.
Ricardo Vindiola works for the city and says this is long overdue. 'The same people throw away the garbage every day. Same people. And, you know, I have a lot of frustration,' he said.
'Whenever I walk, I always see trash everywhere,' said Daniela Morales.For her, illegal dumping isn't just about the trash that's scattered on city streets. It's about taking pride in where you live. 'Whenever we're driving, we have to swerve in order not to damage our cars, and it's really sad,' Morales said.
In addition to the new $5,000 fine, the city council also took the first step in approving a new pilot program. It will use AI drone technology to track illegal dumping sites in real time.
'If I catch you with illegal dumping, we will cite you. We will arrest you. And you will have to pay a heavy fine,' Gallo said.
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