Complete Construction Services WA Pty Ltd fined for dumping five piles of waste on road

A construction company has been handed over $100,000 in fines after hidden cameras caught them illegally dumping mounds of dirt on a road south of Perth. An investigation by the Department of Water and Environment Regulation resulted in Complete Construction Services WA Pty being thrust before the courts after two trucks dumped five loads of dirt and green waste in East Rockingham. “The incident, which occurred between 8:11am and 5:22pm on Sunday, September 18, 2022, involved two trucks — one driven by the individual and the other by a hired contractor — dumping five loads of dirt and green waste on the road,” the department said in a statement. Investigators say the individual claimed the waste came from a renovation job before it was illegally dumped due to a landfill facility being closed. “Following other incidents of illegal dumping along Mead Road, investigators from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation had placed a surveillance camera in the vicinity,” the statement continued. “The covert camera captured images of the trucks entering the road full and leaving empty.” Both the construction company and one person associated with the company faced five charges and were handed fines after appearing in the Rockingham Magistrates Court on July 5. The individual was fined $40,000 while the company was ordered to pay $75,000. DWER executive director for assurance Ruth Dowd said illegal dumps posed significant harm to the environment. “Green waste and garden soil does not belong in natural bushland. It can spread disease and introduce invasive species such as weeds, can block access for firefighters, and create hazards such as odours as it biodegrades,” she said. “The substantial penalty imposed in this case should send a warning to other companies and individuals that unlawfully dumping waste of any kind is unacceptable.” Illegal dumps can be reported to the regulator on 1300 784 782 or to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.