Oakland launches city, community effort to combat illegal dumping
OAKLAND >> City and community officials have started Oaktown PROUD — a campaign aimed at reducing illegal dumping through new enforcement and educational programs.
The joint effort between city government and neighborhoods was announced Tuesday at San Antonio Park.
The Oaktown PROUD name stands for “Prevent & Report Our Unlawful Dumping.” The program’s core strategy is to reduce illegal dumping through education, eradication and enforcement.
“Oaklanders deserve a home to be proud of, and when we work together that’s exactly what we build,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement. “Our community has told us loud and clear that they will not stand by while our streets and sidewalks are made dirtier and less safe by illegal dumping. This is a public health issue, a public safety issue and an equity issue — and that means it’s time for all hands on deck. I’m proud of the city’s growing commitments and services, but even more I am humbled and inspired by the determination of our residents to take action and be part of the solution.”
New and expanded city services include:
• The Oaktown PROUD Student Ambassador program, a pilot effort involving young Oakland residents to help to inform individuals about the need to correctly dispose of garbage. Oakland High School and Skyline
High School took part in the program, which is expected to expand this year.
• The Environmental Enforcement Officers unit, a new team of city investigators who inspect common dumping sites, will contact suspected dumpers and encourage them to use available services such as the county hazardous household waste drop-off sites, and refer cases for legal action. There are four offices and one supervisor making up the unit.
• Expansion of the Garbage Blitz Crews, where city cleanup crews pick up illegal dumping. Schaaf and the City Council have expanded the pilot program. Currently, three crews pick up trash among four regions that cover the entire city. Funding for a fourth crew was approved in the fiscal year 2020-21budget.
“When someone asks the question, ‘Why do you pick up litter when people continue to throw it down,’ the answer is simple: I pick up litter because people continue to throw it down. I feel like my neighborhood and my home are my castle,” said Mary Forte, a volunteer neighborhood coordinator with the city’s Adopt a Spot program.
Ida Oberman, executive director of Community School for Creative Education and a member of the East Oakland Congress of Neighborhoods and board member of Faith in Action East Bay, said, “City enforcement is a last resort. We can’t punish our way out of a problem that starts with neighbors in need, and community members who lack access or resources to dispose of their trash and unwanted items need our compassion, education and support.”
Oberman said the “power for change is in our own hands.”
The Oaktown PROUD campaign will be expanded over the next several months, according to the city.
It will highlight several strategies to reduce illegal dumping, including proper waste disposal and how to report illegal dumping, and volunteering with the city’s Adopt a Spot Program, which hosts cleanup and beautification events.
For more information about Oaktown PROUD, go to www.oaktownproud.com.