Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has been successful in receiving $147,000 in grant funding that will contribute to keeping our community clean through targeting illegal dumping across the region.
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The grant from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) will assist council to work in partnership with Forestry NSW and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to address the issue.
Funds will be used to focus on cleaning up, installing prevention measures, surveillance and education programs, all aimed at reducing the impact of illegal dumping.
Council have identified over 300 dump sites in local bushland that will be cleaned up over the coming months and are urging the community to ‘don’t be a dumper’.
“Illegal dumping pollutes the environment, poses health risks and ends up costing the community money and valuable resources to clean up the mess,” said director Matt Rogers.
“The funding will allow council to work with other government agencies to educate the community, monitor dumping hot spots and make it harder for people to get away with illegal dumping.”
Large items such as furniture, whitegoods and building waste tend to be the most frequently dumped items, with bags of dumped household rubbish also an ongoing problem.
Illegal dumping not only occurs in remote bushland – it also includes leaving household waste on the kerb without arranging for collection, putting domestic or commercial waste in or around public litter bins, leaving unusable materials outside charity shops, and dumping green waste in parks and reserves.
Fines for dumping illegally are significant, up to $250,000 for individuals and up to $1 million for businesses.
In August council fined an individual $2,000 for dumping in local mangroves.
“There’s no tolerance for illegal dumping in our community and Council are taking this issue very seriously, with surveillance occurring in multiple locations as part of the grant project,” added Mr Rogers.
To assist with council’s focus on illegal dumping the community is being asked to complete a short 10 minute survey to help inform clean up and prevention programs locally.
To complete the survey, and find out more information on illegal dumping visit pmhc.nsw.gov.au/illegaldumping
To report illegal dumping phone Council on 6581 8111 or report online at RIDonline ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au
