Cumberland: Illegal dumping costs ratepayers $1 million

A western Sydney council which won a Keep Australia Beautiful award has forked out a hefty fee to clear illegally-dumped rubbish lining its streets.

Illegally-dumped furniture at Merrylands.

Illegal dumping has cost Cumberland Council ratepayers a staggering $1 million over the past financial year when offenders were slapped with fines of up to $8000 for their careless acts.

The council responded to 77 reports of illegal dumping between September and November last year when culprits dumped mattresses, garden waste, building supplies and rubbish.

Hot spots included the northern end of Targo Rd at Toongabbie; Dunmore, Stapleton and Goodall streets at Pendle Hill; Lane St, Fullagar Rd and Station St at Wentworthville; Cross St, Collins Lane, Love Lane, Swift St and Wingello St at Guildford East and Hassall, Bailey St, Mowle, Pye, Good, Oakes streets, and Beryl St, Moss Place and Linchen Place at Westmead.

A mattress at Wentworthville.

Mayor Steve Christou said the council was working with the community to help them understand their obligations and services to remove the unwanted items.

“The $1 million we spent on illegal rubbish dumping last year could have been spent on services or assets like our public libraries, parks and swimming pools,’’ he said.

A bath tub was abandoned at Faulds Rd, Guildford West.

Faulds Rd at Guildford West is an illegal dumping hot spot.

“We don’t want to fine people up to $8000 for illegal rubbish dumping but the reality is cleaning up illegal dumping comes at an expense to council and ultimately ratepayers.’’

Couches and a mattress line are discarded on an Auburn street.

He said residents could take advantage of the free four council collections held each year for up to two cubic square metres of items.

“Last year, council won the Keep Australia Beautiful award for Most Sustainable City so we know that many residents have a real sense of pride in our community and as a region we have enormous potential.”

Building supplies create an eyesore at Short St, Auburn.

The council has also kept busy clearing rubbish at Merrylands’ Neil, Sheffield, Manchester, Walpole, Birmingham, Alfred, Pitt, Windsor and Treves streets.

This section of Windsor Rd at Merrylands is a massive trash mound.

Other hot spots are:

Auburn: Queen, Beatrice, Helena and Norval, Marion, Louisa and Susan streets, Park Rd, Harrow Rd, Auburn Rd, Kerr Pde

Berala: Crawford, Tilba and Graham streets, Woodburn Rd, The Crescent

Granville: Boomerang, William and Smythe streets and Railway Terrace

Guildford: Guildford Rd (western end), Calliope St, Kane St, O’Neill St, Military Rd

Lidcombe: Frances, John, Edith and Child, Mary, Swete, Union and Church streets and Doodson Ave

Merrylands West: Kenyons and Torrens roads, and Paton, Todd, Arthur, Arcadia, Binda, Rubina, Rupert, Ruth, Duffy, Gary and Coolibah streets

Regents Park: Amy and Edwin streets

Illegal dumping can be reported to the council by calling 8757 9000 or at cumberland.nsw.gov.au