Dumped rubbish continues to be neighbourhood blight

Trashed TVs, dumped building materials, old mattresses — illegal rubbish sites are springing up across the city. These are the areas hit hardest by illegal dumping, and how residents can help solve it.

Rubbish in Normanby Lane in Melbourne's CBD. Picture: Snap Send Solve

Illegally dumped rubbish continues to be a scourge in Melbourne’s neighbourhoods as residents report more waste issues than any other suburban problem.

Citizen informants are increasingly willing to dob in illegal dumpers as unwanted rubbish is discarded on nature strips, parks and in waterways.

An average of 15 cases of dumped rubbish are reported every day to the City of Melbourne alone, council figures show.

NUMBER OF RUBBISH COMPLAINTS SOARING

CITY’S BLOCKED FOOTPATHS

CAPP LAUNCHES WAR ON WASTE

And new data from reporting app Snap Send Solve shows dumped rubbish was the most common neighbourhood problem. A total of 14,324 reports of discarded waste was recorded statewide last year.

Illegally dumped rubbish in Casey. Pic: Snap Send Solve

Rubbish dumped in Wyndham. Pic: Snap Send Solve

The City of Melbourne had the most reports via the app from citizen watchdogs, followed by Wyndham, Casey, Brimbank and Maribyrnong councils.

Many offenders dump their rubbish in public places to avoid taking it to designated tips and to dodge fees although the collection service can be free.

Mattresses, broken appliances and building materials are the most common items of dumped rubbish.

Rubbish clogs up a Melbourne street. Pic: Snap Send Solve

Parking gripes and footpath complaints sparked the next most number of gripes from Victorians.

Earlier this year, the Herald Sun reported that council officers were sifting through dumped rubbish seeking personal information to identify and track down offenders.

Snap Send Solve chief executive Danny Gorog said the total number of reports in Victoria had increased by 70 per cent in a year.

Rubbish in Normanby Lane in Melbourne's CBD. Pic: Snap Send Solve

Waste dumped on the nature strip in Wyndham. Pic: Snap Send Solve

“Dumping of rubbish was the number one concern as councils across the state received over 14,000 reports,’’ Mr Gorog said.

“These reports help councils and other authorities to manage and mitigate risk, by providing timely information about incidents that may pose a danger to public health and safety, ensuring a safer and cleaner environment for everyone.”

A city of Melbourne spokeswoman said most reports of dumped rubbish were substantiated, but some cases involve rubbish already booked for collection.

Fines of $322 apply for littering.

@IanRoyall