Glen Eira streets blocked with piles of junk and rotting rubbish

Houses in these suburbs have a $1.7m price tag but locals say a chronic dumping problem is ruining the neighbourhood. SEE THE PHOTOS

A pile of rubbish dumped in a Glen Eira street is so large, contractors have refused to pick it up. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Rotting rubbish is blocking footpaths and turning expensive neighbourhoods into “Third World” suburbs, say frustrated residents.

Piles of junk including mattresses, furniture, clothes and even an old toilet have blocked Glen Eira footpaths and locals say they wait months for it to be removed.

Paul Caine said dumped rubbish was reaching “epidemic proportions” in the municipality.

“Almost every street has its pile of junk. Some piles have been these for months,” he said.

“Glen Eira looks like the third world.”

Dumped rubbish in Rosstown Rd had to be moved to allow a woman to pass in her wheelchair.

Another local said the rubbish was so bad in Rosstown Rd, Glen Huntly he had to move it from the footpath to allow his wife to pass in her wheelchair.

Mr Caine said since June 2021 he had logged 331 separate complaints with Glen Eira Council about dumped rubbish across Carnegie and Glen Huntly.

He said while dumped rubbish collections could be booked online via the council it often took months for it to be picked up.

Mr Caine said as soon as one pile of junk was cleared, another would take its place.

“Living in a clean environment is a basic human right,” he said.

“The town hall crowd really need to pull their finger out do some deep thinking and start tackling this issue.”

The council says illegal dumping is no worse in Glen Eira than other municipalities. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Glen Eira Planning, Place and Sustainability director Ron Torres said two attempts – on February 2 and 9 – had been made to collect one of two piles of rubbish in Rosstown Rd.

However, the rubbish was not picked up because the pile was too big.

“The resident who booked the hard rubbish that is over the limit … has been advised they are responsible for removing the pile themselves (or reducing its size).

“If they do not follow this direction there may be further enforcement action taken.”

The second pile of rubbish in Rosstown Rd was due to be collected on February 18.

Mr Torres said dumped rubbish in Glen Eira was no worse than in any other municipality.

Dumping rubbish on public land without permission is considered littering and offenders face fines of up to $2000.

More serious cases can land illegal dumpers in court.

However, Mr Torres said the council preferred to take an “educational approach”.

The council has not prosecuted any dumpers in the past 12 months.

In the 2020-2021 financial year Glen Eira Council spent $562,535 removing illegally dumped rubbish after following up 6,867 complaints.