Illegal rubbish dumping costs Port Adelaide Enfield Council almost $2 million in three years

Piles of illegal rubbish dumped on verges are not only an uncommon sight in the western suburbs – they’re costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now one councillor wants action.

Rubbish dumped at Mansfield Park. Picture: Paula Thompson

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Massive piles of illegally dumped rubbish are not an uncommon sight across the western suburbs – and one Port Adelaide Enfield councillor wants something done about it.

Councillor Olivia Colombo said it was hard to understand why so much rubbish was being dumped illegally, when the council offered a generous four hard rubbish collection a year to residents.

Despite ample opportunity to book hard rubbish collections, illegal rubbish dumping has cost Port Adelaide Enfield Council about $600,000 per annum in collection and dumping fees for the past three years.

Some of the items being dumped include nappies, stereos, wardrobes, chest of drawers and TVs.

“We have one of the most generous hard rubbish collections on offer, yet it’s still costing ratepayers $600,000 a year,” Ms Colombo said.

“That’s money that could be invested in local roads or to support local clubs, which is especially important as we’re rebuilding our community post-COVID.

“Leaving the rubbish out also attracts people who pick through the rubbish and spread the mess.”

A shopping trolley dumped in a Port Adelaide street. Picture: Paula Thompson

Port Adelaide Enfield council undertook a CCTV trial between June 22 and July 22 this year in a bid prevent illegal rubbish dumping, which Ms Colombo said proved successful.

The trial was undertaken at Rafferty St Wingfield, and Mutton Cove, Osborne – two of the

city’s hot spots for illegal dumping, and are areas which require staff to remove rubbish on a weekly basis.

The trial cost $2300 and during the time of the trial, council had no dumping in Wingfield and only a very small amount dumped in Osborne, just out of camera range.

Ms Colombo said these favourable results from the initial trial period provided a strong case for expanding the trial.

At its meeting last week, council voted that a report be put together by council staff and provided back to them on implementing further mobile CCTV trials for illegal rubbish dumping hot spots and areas with high frequencies of illegal rubbish dumping complaints.

Council also moved that the report provided include results analysis from the June-July 2020

trial and consider other possible initiatives to tackle illegal dumping across the area.