Surveillance cameras installed to catch illegal dumpers

SURVEILLANCE cameras have been installed at illegal dumping hot spots on the Capricorn Coast.

Nine drums of waste were found dumped in a tidal lagoon off Sandy Point Road near Yeppoon last October.

SURVEILLANCE cameras have been installed at illegal dumping hot spots on the Capricorn Coast in a bid to stop the concerning practice.

Livingstone Shire Council today revealed that cameras had been placed at numerous locations across the shire.

The equipment was fully funded through a State Government grant.

READ: Crackdown on illegal dumping

The development comes as the community waits for the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Science to finalise a well-publicised investigation dating back to last October.

It was then that nine drums of waste, some leaking, were found in a tidal lagoon off Sandy Point Rd, north of Yeppoon.

Then in January, another four drums were discovered dumped in bushland off Iwasaki Rd.

It has not been established if the incidents were linked.

In April, the department said it had collected evidence in relation to the incidents and the authority was “considering its compliance options.”

It was unclear whether the authority had enough evidence to prosecute.

READ: Will drums evidence be enough to prosecute?

In January, four more drums were found illegally dumped off Iwasaki Rd near Yeppoon.

Livingstone councillor Andrea Friend, who heads the shire’s Water, Waste Management and Environment portfolio, said areas such as Ritamada Road, wetlands and other natural areas were being closely monitored to catch offenders.

“It’s really disappointing that we continue to have cases of illegal dumping across our beautiful shire,” Cr Friend said.

“This grant has helped council boost its surveillance capacity in hot spots which will send a strong message that illegal dumping is not acceptable and you will be caught.

“If you have rubbish you need to get rid of, the appropriate thing to do is to use council’s waste facilities.”

People face on-the-spot fines ranging from $266 to more than $2500 if caught illegally dumping.

Repeat offenders dumping dangerous goods can face penalties of more than $100,000.

READ: Drums dumping questions remain

OPINION: Wash-up to drums saga

Livingstone is also in the process of organising signage to be erected around the shire to raise awareness of the issue.

Residents can contact the council to report illegal dumping on [phone] or alternatively, report an incident online at https://report-littering-dumping.ehp.qld.gov.au/  

READ MORE: Drums removed from lagoon