On Monday 31 May 2021, a hidden camera photographed a black Mitsubishi Triton utility on Old Yanchep Road in Nowergup. In one of the photographs two blue couches can be seen in the rear tray of the vehicle. Inspectors from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation later found the couches dumped on the side of the road.
Mas Elina Binti Hasmuni subsequently admitted that she arranged to borrow a friend's ute and asked her housemate to use it to take her couches to state forest and dump them.
The housemate has since left Australia.
On Friday 4 March 2022 Ms Hasmuni appeared in the Joondalup Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to dumping waste illegally under section 49A(3) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
She was fined $3,000 and ordered to pay costs of $788.30.
The hidden camera that captured the initial image was placed by DWER officers as part of an operation to catch people dumping waste illegally.
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation ;Senior Manager Waste Operations, ;Matt Warnock said covert camera operations were getting results.
“We are seeing about one person a week being convicted of illegal dumping, and we will continue to set up cameras to catch offenders,” Mr Warnock said.
“The maximum penalty for this offence is $62,500 and the courts have been consistently handing out fines in the thousands. The best thing to do is to look up your local council online and find out how to dispose of waste correctly.”
;
Anyone who witnesses illegal dumping is asked to call the department’s Pollution Watch Hotline on 1300 784 782, email pollutionwatch@dwer.wa.gov.au ;or call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
