Moonee Valley Council cans graffiti clean-up kits
It costs Moonee Valley Council hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to clean up graffiti, and now ratepayers will have a tougher time getting rid of it themselves. Clean-up kits have been banned over concerns users might not follow safety instructions.
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Moonee Valley Council has stopped providing people with graffiti clean-up kits after reports they were burning people.
Last year, a Brunswick West man sought compensation from Moreland Council for loss of income and medical expenses, claiming the manufacturer of an anti-graffiti cleaning kit was negligent for supplying an unsafe product. Stephen Thompson claimed the corrosive chemicals in the kit burnt his arm, leaving him in agonising pain and required four operations.
Moonee Valley Mayor Narelle Sharpe said the council had stopped providing the graffiti removal kits in September as a result of the claims.
“After reviewing the risk, we determined that the chance of a burn was very high if someone failed to follow the instructions, including wearing personal protective equipment such as fully enclosed shoes, gloves, an apron, safety glasses, full length sleeves and long pants,” Cr Sharpe said.
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“Demand for the kits was also low and the three residents who have contacted us since then have been happy to pursue alternative graffiti removal methods.”
Recent council projects to limit the amount of blank space on public land commonly used as a graffiti canvas include transforming 32 VicRoads signal boxes into works of art and decorating vacant shop fronts with artwork.
Graffiti removal costs the council more than $230,000 a year. Cr Sharpe said it was up to owners to remove graffiti on private property but the council would help those, such as pensioners, as required.
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