Illegal Dumping Camera Pilot

Illegal dumping is a serious issue in Seattle. It’s not just an eyesore; it creates health and safety hazards, increases cleanup costs for property owners and taxpayers, and it’s against the law. In 2024 alone, the City of Seattle spent over $1.9 million cleaning up more than 500 thousand pounds of illegally dumped waste.

Acting on Illegal Dumping in Seattle

To help address this issue, our Seattle Clean City team launched the Illegal Dumping Camera Pilot in 2023. The pilot uses motion-activated cameras to:

  • Deter illegal dumping through verbal warnings
  • Capture images to support investigations

These cameras are installed in areas with frequent illegal dumping. When motion is detected, the camera plays a deterrence message. If motion continues, it captures images of the individuals or vehicles for review.

2024 Pilot Results: Promising Progress

The pilot has delivered strong early results:

  • Before installation: 85,850 pounds of debris were removed from Detroit Ave SW, at a cost of $44,265.36
  • After installation (2023–2024):
    • 12,000 pounds of debris removed
    • $40,000 saved in cleanup costs
    • 59% decrease in illegal dumping collected in the pilot area
    • 95% of vehicles left the site after hearing the automated verbal warning

Thanks to these promising outcomes, SPU plans to expand the program in 2025, adding four more cameras as part of Phase 2 of the pilot.

Where the Cameras Will Be Used

Cameras are installed on City-owned properties where illegal dumping occurs frequently. The pilot cameras will be placed in West Seattle, Georgetown, and South Seattle. Location selection is data-driven, based on heatmaps and reports identifying illegal dumping hotspots. This ensures cameras are deployed where they can have the greatest impact. 

Sometimes, if there isn’t a good spot on City property to place a camera, we may need to contact the owner of a nearby vacant private property to ask for permission to use their space.

Protecting Your Privacy

SPU is committed to your privacy. Photos unrelated to illegal dumping are deleted, and individuals not involved are redacted from images. The pilot has undergone a Privacy Impact Assessment by Seattle Information Technology. You can view the full assessment (PDF). 

What Happens Next

SPU’s Clean City Enforcement Manager reviews all camera images in accordance with Seattle Municipal Code (SMC 21.26). When illegal dumping is confirmed, our team contacts the individuals involved and works toward a resolution. This may include:

  • Cleanup or violation fees
  • Community service

The goal is enforcement and education, improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods and reducing city cleanup costs.

Community Support and Resources

SPU is working with communities to:

How You Can Help

Let’s work together to keep Seattle clean and safe:

Together, we can build cleaner, safer communities across Seattle.

 

 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

The pilot focuses on locations with high rates of illegal dumping to maximize impact. 

  • Current camera location: 
    • 7100 Block of Detroit Ave SW (West Seattle)
  • Upcoming camera locations: 
    • Dead-end of S Barton St off 45th Ave S (South Seattle) 
    • Stanley Ave S & S Hardy St (Georgetown)
    • S Rose St & Wabash Ave S (South Seattle)
    • 36th Ave S & S Adams St (South Seattle)

These sites were selected based on illegal dumping data and community reports. 

This pilot is designed to reduce illegal dumping in areas that are frequently targeted, especially in underserved neighborhoods. The camera helps discourage this behavior by capturing photos of dumping activity. 

In some cases, you may hear a recorded message saying: 

"Stop. You are in an area monitored for illegal dumping. After this warning, your actions may be photographed." 

You’ll see fewer piles of trash, safer streets, and a cleaner neighborhood. 
 

  • The first camera was installed on March 3, 2023, in West Seattle. 
  • The second camera will be installed in August 2025. 
  • Three more cameras will be placed later this year in South Seattle and Georgetown. 
      

 

Each camera is temporary. Once illegal dumping stops at a location, the camera may be moved to another site in Seattle that needs it.

 

The main goals are to: 

  • Reduce illegal dumping and improve neighborhood cleanliness.
  • Deter repeat offenders and raise awareness about the consequences.
  • Improve safety and quality of life in targeted areas.

No. The cameras are motion-activated and operate 24/7, but SPU staff do not monitor them live. 

 

SPU staff will download and review images on a weekly basis.  

SPU Illegal Dumping will collect and manage all the data generated by the camera system. There is no 3rd party vendor that will review the photos. This technology collects no information from other sources. Information will be stored on a City of Seattle secure drive file.

SPU takes your privacy seriously:

  • Only SPU’s illegal dumping team can view the images.
  • Photos are reviewed only for illegal dumping.
  • If no dumping is found, the photo is deleted.
  • People and vehicles not involved are blurred, cropped, or redacted.
  • The system does not collect any other personal data.
  • Images are stored on a secure City of Seattle server, not by any third party.

Yes, only if illegal dumping is confirmed. Relevant images may be shared with law enforcement or the City’s Hearing Examiner to help issue citations or fines.

They are deleted in accordance with SPU’s retention policies. Images unrelated to dumping or criminal activity are removed as soon as they’re reviewed.

Each camera costs $9,030 and includes motion detection, photo capture, and a built-in warning message.

This camera allows us to:

  • Deter illegal dumping with a recorded voice warning.
  • Review data internally; no third-party vendor is involved.
  • Protect privacy by deleting or redacting any unrelated content.

 

You can take items to one of Seattle's two transfer stations for a fee. Learn more here: SPU Transfer Station Info.
  

 

Yes, if you're enrolled in the Utility Discount Program (UDP), you may be eligible for up to two free dump passes per year. Apply or learn more: Utility Discount Program

Contact us! Email Jeff.Horan@seattle.gov

Public Utilities

Andrew Lee, General Manager and CEO
Address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 4900, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34018, Seattle, WA, 98124-5177
Phone: (206) 684-3000
SPUCustomerService@seattle.gov

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Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is comprised of three major direct-service providing utilities: the Water Utility, the Drainage and Wastewater Utility, and the Solid Waste Utility.