Illegal dumping

Illegal dumping is the disposal of large amounts of waste or items on land or in water without the correct approvals.This can include:

• Dumping of commercial, trade or household waste in parks and gardens. 

• Placing household items on the kerbside without a Bulky Waste Collection booking or presenting materials too early in advance of the booking date.

• Disposal of unwanted items, donations and waste outside of charity bins or shop fronts.

  

  Examples of illegally dumped materials on public land.

Litter

Litter is anything unwanted that has been thrown, blown or left in the wrong place. Littering is the disposal of smaller amounts of waste. This includes:

• Throwing litter out of car window.

• Flicking cigarette butts onto the ground.

• Depositing of advertising materials on public place, open private place or on vehicle windscreens, instead of within letterbox or under doors.

     

  Examples of litter on public land.

Leaving your dog’s poo in public places is also an offence under the Companion Animals Act 1998. Please pick up after your pet and responsibly dispose as part of Responsible Pet Ownership.

To report illegal dumping, littering and other issues use Council’s request platform: Log it / Fix it

Please provide as many details as possible of the location and evidence if available to support the investigation of illegally dumped waste.

Relevant request categories on Log it / Fix it include:

• Illegal dumping: if you witness illegal dumping or find illegally dumped materials.

• Roadside litter: for litter picking small windswept waste on the road. If you have seen or have evidence of vehicle registration you can Report a Tosser (fines apply).

• Abandoned article: for bikes, machinery and items that may be of value abandoned on public land. See Shopping Trolleys for more information on reporting unattended trolleys.

• Abandoned vehicle: for cars or trailers abandoned on public land. See Abandoned or Unregistered Vehicles for more information.  

It is the responsibility of individuals and businesses to manage waste and ensure that waste is correctly disposed.

This includes correctly using Council's waste services and/or responsibly engaging with private contractors or taking your items for disposal yourself at a licenced facility.

The Owner-Builder Waste Checklist is a quick guide on how to manage site waste responsibly, prevent illegal dumping and how to report it. 

The list below are some commonly dumped items and links with information on where to responsibly recycle or dispose of them. 

• Bulky household item (furniture, white goods, mattresses): Bulky Waste Collection.

• Chemical waste (paints, gas bottles): Household Chemical CleanOut.

• Electronic waste (TVs, small appliances): E-Waste Drop Off.

• Tyres and car parts, building materials, asbestos and mulch: A-Z Recycling Guide.

Council educates to raise awareness of the community about the severe impacts of illegal dumping on the community and environment. 

Council officers conduct ongoing surveillance of local streets, car parks, rear lanes, industrial streets, and bushland areas. Council Officers respond to and investigate reports of illegally dumped waste through the Log it / Fix it portal.

Council officers where sufficient evidence is gathered or provided will proceed with enforcement actions including fines for individuals and corporations under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act).

Council also regularly engages and reminds strata managers of multi-unit dwellings to book Bulky Waste Collections and distribute waste education materials to residents.

As part of development applications, Council reviews Waste Management Plans that detail how sites manage their waste. Officers also encourage the community to be vigilant when engaging with waste removalists and contractors and encourage reporting of illegal dumping.