Lazy dumping borders on crisis

Not only do our creeks and rivers become dumping grounds for litter, including plastic waste, threatening our wildlife, bush areas and parkland are targets for household waste and unwanted goods.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Not only do our creeks and rivers become dumping grounds for litter, including plastic waste, threatening our wildlife, bush areas and parkland are targets for household waste and unwanted goods.

It is an unconscionable global epidemic, trashing our environment.

In local communities we find lazy and selfish individuals and companies using our pristine areas as rubbish tips.

It has escalated to a crisis.

This reduces our planet to a limited lifespan, with pollutants directly or indirectly poisoning our waterways, threatening all life.

Children worldwide are concerned there is no "planet B" to fall back on.

Their message is plain to perpetrators.

In times gone by, households were free to deposit at the local tip.

Then councils charged, but provided tip vouchers, to prevent illegal dumping and occasional curb-side pick-ups. It was a logical alternative to dumping.

But councils are their worst enemy.

Now no tip vouchers or curb-side pick-ups are provided, leading to illegal dumping.

Councils then use ratepayers' money to clean up dumped rubbish. All ratepayers are paying directly for tip visits, or indirectly for illegal dump cleanup.

The planet loses.

E ROWE

Marcoola

Originally published as Lazy dumping borders on crisis