Oakland is drowning in garbage — and businesses that refuse to pay for proper waste disposal are making the problem worse.

From busted furniture to construction debris, illegal dumping has turned parts of our city into open-air landfills. Sidewalks are blocked. Schoolyards are trashed. And Oaklanders are fed up with walking around piles of waste that just keep coming back.

While some blame unhoused residents or out-of-town dumpers, city data shows a major source of illegal dumping comes from businesses that simply don’t pay for trash pickup. Instead, they offload their junk into alleys, vacant lots, and underpasses — leaving working-class neighborhoods to deal with the mess.

That’s why we, the undersigned, are calling on Mayor Barbara Lee, the Oakland City Council, and the Public Works Department to:

• Mandate that all Oakland businesses register for official waste disposal services
• Create strong enforcement mechanisms including fines, license suspensions, or public disclosure for those who dump illegally
• Audit existing commercial buildings to ensure compliance with trash service rules
• Expand the city’s investigation team to trace illegal debris back to its source
   

This isn’t just about cleaner streets. It’s about public health, neighborhood safety, and environmental justice. Illegal dumping blocks drains, attracts vermin, and poisons our waterways — especially in East and West Oakland, where the problem is most severe.

Volunteers like the Urban Compassion Project and everyday neighbors have done incredible work cleaning up their communities. But they shouldn’t be left to handle what’s ultimately a system-wide failure caused by businesses cutting corners.

Oakland can’t keep chasing garbage trucks after the fact. We need to stop the dumping before it happens — by holding commercial actors accountable and requiring them to clean up after themselves like everyone else.

Sign this petition to demand that Oakland require all businesses to enroll in trash pickup services and face real penalties if they dump illegally. Let’s clean up our streets — and make sure the burden doesn’t fall on the people living next to the mess.