Dumping hard rubbish illegally? Prepare to be named and shamed

AN Adelaide Council has taken to using brightly coloured crime scene tape to rope off illegally dumped rubbish. Here’s why ...

Illegally Dumped Rubbish - Mitcham Council Area

MITCHAM Council is roping off hard rubbish illegally dumped on verges with “crime scene” tape in a bid to name and shame offenders.

The council introduced the measure in May to deter residents from illegally dumping waste.

Mitcham spokeswoman Julie Lamond said in the three months since, about 25 per cent of residents named and shamed had complied with a council order to remove the rubbish.

She could not provide the number of residents who had failed to remove the waste, but said they faced a fine of up to $5000.

Ms Lamond said it was hoped the program would reduce the council’s $140,000 hard rubbish removal bill and encourage residents to use dumps or Mitcham’s at-call system.

The council provides one pre-booked hard waste collection for households in the area each financial year.

Mitcham Mayor Glenn Spear said dumped rubbish posed a safety risk and was harmful to the environment.

“The tape provides a visual reminder to the community the council is aware of the illegally dumped rubbish,” Mr Spear said.

“If we educate our community about the impact of illegal dumping we are hoping that less rubbish will be dumped resulting in cleaner and tidier streets.”

Last financial year, the council fined four residents for illegally dumping rubbish.

Mattresses, lounges and televisions are among the most common items illegally dumped, with dumping hot spots in Hawthorn, Torrens Park, St Marys, Melrose Park and Blackwood.

KESAB executive director John Phillips said the program — which had been trialled in other council areas — was “very effective” in reducing waste.

“Investigators can go through the rubbish and try and find the person who committed the crime — there might be an address on one of the items, for example,” Mr Phillips said.

“If they can find the person responsible, they can fine them and, on top of that fine, they could even make the person responsible for the clean up cost.

“It publicly makes a statement that illegal dumping is a crime.”

Cumberland Park Neighbourhood Watch zone leader Jeff Heppner said the group supported the council initiative.

The group sent newsletters to residents in January last year, encouraging them to correctly dispose of hard rubbish.

“We have seen televisions (on verges) for months on end … we are totally in favour of this plan,” Mr Heppner said.

Miranda O’Keefe, of Colonel Light Gardens, runs the Hard Rubbish Adelaide Facebook page, which posts information about where hard rubbish has been legally dumped on verges.

She supported the initiative, but said if the council removed its at-call system and replaced it with a regular, suburb-wide pick up system, the streets would be cleaner.

Ms O’Keefe said it would also be easier for people who collect hard rubbish to find items on verges.