Summerhill Rd, Wollert asbestos dumping: City of Whittlesea, EPA launch joint investigation

A load of waste containing a large amount of asbestos has been illegally dumped at a ‘known litter hot spot’ in Whittlesea.

Construction and demolition waste containing asbestos has been illegally dumped on a Wollert roadside.

Environment Protection Authority Victoria intends to prosecute those responsible for leaving the materials beside Summerhill Rd for pollution offences carrying thousands of dollars in fines.

City of Whittlesea officers removed items including timber, roof guttering and tiles, and asbestos cement sheeting and sent it for safe disposal.

The officers found evidence pointing to the source of the waste and forwarded the information to EPA for compliance action.

Whittlesea’s chief executive officer Craig Lloyd said waste officers found the dumped load while patrolling a “known litter hot spot”.

Mr Lloyd said illegal dumping cost the Whittlesea community “hundreds of thousands of dollars each year” and created an “eyesore” for residents, “while also potentially damaging the environment”.

“The City of Whittlesea has no tolerance for illegal dumping and offenders will be held accountable for their actions,” he said.

EPA’s northern metro regional manager Jeremy Settle said “unscrupulous operators” were known to illegally dump waste from building, renovation or demolition projects to avoid the cost of going to a properly licensed facility for disposal or recycling.

Mr Settle said the EPA was regularly called in to investigate illegal dumpings in rural areas, parks and State Forests, creeks, backstreets and industrial areas.

“They might be doing the building or demolition themselves, or they might present themselves as waste removal contractors, attracting unsuspecting customers by offering extra low prices that undercut legitimate local businesses,” Mr Settle said.

“The asbestos of any kind is subject to strong regulation and must be removed, packaged and transported properly to ensure it presents no hazard to the environment and community.”

Members of the public can report illegal dumping and other types of pollution to EPA’s 24 hour hotline on 1300 EPA VIC or by providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution.