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OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) \u2014 The City of Oakland just announced a new series of initiatives to combat illegal dumping.\u00a0 Now, a new report by the city auditor has uncovered it\u2019s not just out-of-area contractors using Oakland as a dumping ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the problem is driven by residents. Residents just throwing their trash; things that you would see in residents\u2019 private trash bags. We saw them all over the streets of Oakland,\u201d said Oakland City Auditor Michael Houston.<\/p>\n
The audit report states, \u201cWe found that most illegally dumped waste in the city appears to be residential in origin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Houston says one of the reasons Oaklanders may be dirtying their own city is because of the how much trash pick-up costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that our hauling rates were among the highest \u2026 even among those jurisdictions that use the same contracted hauler,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
But the audit also found the city has not done enough to deter people from illegal dumping.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnforcement has been lacking in the city,\u201d Houston said. \u201cThe fines are really low, and then, even when fines are administered, we don\u2019t have very much success in getting the fines.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oakland Illegal Dumping Audit<\/a>Download<\/a><\/p>\n The report comes with a variety of recommendations, including renegotiating fees and stepping up enforcement.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n