People caught intentionally dumping bulky items, yard cuttings and other trash illegally on Oahu could soon be paying up to 10 times more in fines under a bill signed into law by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Tuesday.

The maximum civil penalty is going up to $2,500 per occurrence from the previous $250 maximum fine.

As written, the law applies to people who intentionally dump trash along highways, roadsides, alleys and other public spaces, as well as homeowners who knowingly put out their bulky items too far in advance of a scheduled bulky item pickup day.

Bill 24, sponsored by City Council members Kymberly Pine and Ron Menor, created a new prohibited activity in city ordinances that states “no person shall throw, drop, place, dump, or deposit refuse, to include bulky wastes, on a street, roadside, alley, highway or other public space.”

But the new law does not raise the maximum fine if it cannot be determined who placed items prior to the night before a scheduled pickup.

A property owner or condominium association would still be responsible if cited, but the fine would continue to be $250, Menor said.

Property owners have long complained that they have been forced to pay fines when outsiders dumped bulky items and other trash in front of their land.

“The enforcement will always be an issue … so clearly the communities and the neighborhoods (are) going to have to be more diligent,” Menor said.

The bill was adopted by the Council at its April 20 meeting. The two West Oahu Council members said the problem has been particularly bad in their region.

“All other efforts to stop … illegal dumping on the sidewalks haven’t been working,” Pine said. “So increasing the fines and ensuring that people think twice before they do illegal dumping is the next step that’s needed.”

The week after Christmas, Pine joined residents of a Makakilo townhouse complex to bring attention to the prevalent illegal dumping problem in their neighborhoods. The residents said they had video footage showing the illegal trash did not come from residents. Shortly afterward the cameras were stolen, Pine said.

“If we increase the fines for those who illegally dump these items, it sends out a clear message to those that are violating the law that if they are caught, they would be subject to much higher penalties,” Menor said.