Illegal dumpers warned to smile for the camera as Southern Downs Regional Council takes action
Litterbugs with an itch for illegal dumping of their household waste should prepare to tighten their purse strings. MORE HERE.
Stanthorpe
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A number of unsupervised waste bin compounds in the wider Southern Downs have become a sore sight to council and nearby residents.
The rise in illegal dumping and roadside littering in the region, most prominently at unsupervised bins, has left council no other choice but to install CCTV cameras at these locations.
A Southern Downs Regional Council spokesman said council was participating in the Queensland government’s Illegal Dumping Partnerships Program.
“Illegal dumping is a serious issue. It damages our environment, and affects the use, enjoyment and value of our public spaces,” the spokesman said.
“There is a cost to council in clean up expenses, money that should go to other community services and amenities.”
The Southern Downs has two main waste compounds in Warwick and Stanthorpe which operate seven days a week, and smaller waste facilities in the wider region with limited hours.
A handful of locked compounds are located in the rural areas of Amiens, Ballandean, Glen Aplin, Pozieres, Forest Springs, Karara and Greymare, requiring approval from council to access.
It’s a longstanding issue for the region, with Stanthorpe Border Post capturing the aftermath of thoughtless actions outside the Thulimbah tip in 2010.
Queensland’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Act identifies illegal dumping as disposing more than 200L and less than 2500L of waste, littering under 200L or the size of your garbage bin.
The act includes littering from a vehicle also as an offence, with disposing a lit cigarette out of a window, leaving a syringe in public or smashing a glass bottle on a footpath as dangerous littering.
Despite these unsupervised compounds designed to be used as a disposal point for residential waste and recycling, council continues to receive reports about their untidy state.
The council spokesman said enforcement action is taken for anyone caught littering or illegally dumping waste.
Individuals caught will face a hefty fine of $322 for littering, $645 for dangerous littering and up to $3226 for illegal dumping.
Residents are urged to report sightings of illegal dumping or littering to Southern Downs Regional Council and include photos, time, date place, and a description of the waste or any other relevant details.
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Originally published as Illegal dumpers warned to smile for the camera as Southern Downs Regional Council takes action
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