Illegal Dumping
SUPERVISOR NATE MILEY
Leading the way on Illegal Dumping Solutions
Illegal dumping is a persistent challenge that affects public health, environmental quality, and community trust throughout Alameda County, California, and the Nation. In 2016, Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley convened the Alameda County Illegal Dumping (ACID) Task Force, which has led the development, testing, and dissemination of evidence-based strategies that are now widely used across California.
This page serves as a centralized hub for illegal dumping best practices developed by the ACID Task Force, including the original research that developed the Three E’s framework—Education, Eradication, and Enforcement—along with statewide analysis, conference materials, and model policies designed to support scalable, long-term solutions.
Statewide Conference on Illegal Dumping (IDCon)
Sharing, Scaling, and Institutionalizing Best Practices
To elevate and disseminate these strategies, Supervisor Miley launched the Statewide Conference on Illegal Dumping (IDCon), an annual convening of practitioners, policymakers, advocates, and community leaders from across California.
Each year, the conference serves as a forum to:
- Share real-world lessons from local and regional efforts
- Highlight best practices grounded in data and experience
- Build cross-jurisdictional networks focused on scalable solutions
The 5th Statewide Conference on Illegal Dumping (IDCon5)
will take place on April 30th and May 1st, 2026 in Oakland CA.
REGISTER FOR IDCON5 TODAY!
Recordings and presentation materials from past conferences are available for on-demand viewing and download, creating an enduring public resource for jurisdictions seeking to strengthen their illegal dumping response.
The Alameda County Illegal Dumping (ACID) Final Report
The Development of The Three E’s Framework
Launched in 2019, the ACID Task Force launched a Pilot to identify strategies that could be replicated and scaled across jurisdictions. Working in some of East Oakland’s most severe illegal dumping hotspots, the pilot developed and tested a comprehensive framework built around Education, Eradication, and Enforcement—now widely known as The Three E’s.
The ACID Pilot demonstrated that illegal dumping is not simply a cleanup problem but instead requires comprehensive solutions. The Three E’s addresses upstream prevention, on-the-ground clean up needs, and downstream enforcement, and applies that both proactively and reactively. The pilot achieved measurable results: substantial reductions in dumping, improved environmental conditions, and increased community satisfaction with government response.
The ACID Final Report is the foundational body of work that introduced the Three E’s framework and showed how it can change the trajectory of chronic illegal dumping hotspots. Its lessons were designed from the outset to inform broader adoption beyond a single pilot area, focusing on recommendations that can be replicated and scaled.
Illegal Dumping Solutions (IDS) Report
Statewide Validation of Systemic Approaches
In 2025, the Alameda County Illegal Dumping Task Force commissioned the Illegal Dumping Solutions (IDS) Report to examine illegal dumping through a statewide lens. Drawing on expert interviews and a statewide survey of practitioners, the report analyzed how experience level, role, and community type shape perceptions of barriers and solutions.
The IDS Report found broad consensus around effective interventions—many of which align directly with the Three E’s—and showed that more experienced practitioners consistently recognize the need for systemic, long-term solutions, rather than one-off cleanups. The report highlights persistent gaps in funding, staffing, and knowledge transfer, and calls for stronger state leadership, durable interagency collaboration, and sustained resources.
Together, the ACID and IDS reports establish a clear throughline: illegal dumping solutions work best when comprehensive solutions like education, eradication, and enforcement are integrated and supported at scale.
Model Illegal Dumping Enforcement Ordinance
Supporting Enforcement Strategies
In addition to research and convening, Alameda County has developed a Model Illegal Dumping Enforcement Ordinance to support on-the-ground implementation.
The Model Ordinance is designed to:
- Expand accountability for illegal dumping
- Increase administrative fines
- Provide a clear, adaptable framework for local adoption
By promoting consistent enforcement standards across jurisdictions, the ordinance helps translate best practices into durable policy and supports a more coordinated regional and statewide approach to illegal dumping enforcement.