How to Stop Illegal Dumping with Security Cameras

Illegal trash or waste dumping is a continual and growing issue for businesses, commercial and industrial properties, and construction sites.

The City of Toronto defines illegal dumping as “…the discarding of waste/materials where it does not belong and where there is no witness or suspect information as to its origin.” Illegal dumping includes individuals placing waste in private dumpsters and dumping bulk items such as furniture or bags of household waste in no-dumping zones.

For landowners and developers, illegal dumping of construction waste is an ongoing problem, with many incidents of dump trucks entering construction sites at night to dump loads of trash that otherwise would cost money to discard safely.

Many provinces and cities have bylaws on dumping, including significant fines for those found guilty, yet the problem continues. Ontario’s Bill 13 (Crackdown on Illegal Waste Dumping Act, 1998) outlines illegal dumping fines as “…$2,000 and not more than $200,000 on a first conviction, and not less than $4,000 and not more than $400,000 on each subsequent conviction.”

Waste can be hazardous, which means it can have an impact on human health or the environment. Hazardous materials especially need to be disposed of correctly. You can take several steps to prevent illegal waste dumping, such as placing fencing and signs around the property, adding additional lighting around the site, and installing security cameras.

If you plan to use security cameras to stop illegal dumping, you need to ensure that they are correctly placed; otherwise, you will not obtain the proper evidence required to press charges.

Here are three key pieces of video evidence that bylaw officers look for:

Security cameras can protect your property and reduce the risk of intruders and vandalism. If you are trying to stop illegal dumping or the illegal dumping of construction waste, strategically placed cameras are essential.

By positioning security cameras in areas where illegal dumping is frequent, you can focus the camera on capturing a clear picture of the person(s) and the vehicle. These are two critical pieces of evidence that bylaw officers will need. The photo or video must provide enough detail to identify the person quickly.

It is not enough to have identified both the violators and the vehicle used. You need to ensure you have video evidence that clearly shows the individual(s) dumping. For bylaw officers to press charges and have them upheld in court, the video must show a vehicle pulling up, the person grabbing the trash or materials from their car, and throwing it into a bin (or on the ground). A security camera will capture the event and record the date and time it occurred, which can help authorities apprehend the violator(s).

The final piece of the puzzle, and the most important, is to capture the license plate of the violator’s vehicle. Bylaw officers will require a clear license plate image; otherwise, prosecuting someone for illegal dumping will be difficult. Setting up license plate capture cameras or an LPR (License Plate Recognition) camera can be tricky, especially in low-light areas. For the best results in stopping illegal dumping, ensure there is a dedicated camera for license plate capture, that it is mounted correctly, and that it accurately reads license plates.

If you own a commercial property, industrial building, or are in the construction industry, you know that illegal dumping results in unnecessary increased costs and headaches that you don’t need. However, there are steps you can take to stop people from dumping trash illegally on your property. Installing security cameras can provide that extra layer of security and the evidence you need, but make sure you invest in the right security camera system that is effective enough to stop illegal dumping.

Spotter Security is a Canadian security solutions company based in Markham, Ontario. We have been in the physical security industry for more than 17 years. Our clients include many construction companies, manufacturing plants, commercial plazas, logistics companies, warehouses, data centers, educational institutes, and other commercial properties. The primary services we provide include video surveillance systems, security cameras, live video monitoring for construction sites, and access control systems.

Contact us to learn more about illegal dumping and how Spotter Security can help. We will install a customized security solution to stop illegal dumping that will work with your current system. Call us now at 1-877-557-3175, or fill out our form to get in touch with us.