Littering & illegal dumping
Collecting and disposing of illegally dumped waste costs Council more than $50,000 every year.
Littering and illegal dumping is a highly visible form of environmental pollution which has the potential to be harmful to people and the environment.
Such activities also represent issues for the community, with impacts on amenities as well as significant clean-up costs for Council.
What is littering?
Littering is the disposal of any object by a person, either onto land or into any waters whether by a pedestrian, from a vehicle, or from a premises. Disposing of litter also means discarding or depositing litter or allowing litter to be blown from, or to fall from a premises or vehicle. It can also mean putting up unauthorised flyers and posters, or discarding chewing gum, food/beverage containers, household appliances, furniture and construction/demolition waste etc.
Illegal dumping
It is illegal to dispose of your rubbish or unwanted household items in a public place without Council permission according to the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016.
People found dumping rubbish or goods can be:
- issued with an on the spot fine between $210 and $1,000
- taken to court and fined maximum penalty from $5,000 to $120,000.
Littering or dumping from a vehicle
Illegal dumping and littering are frequently associated with vehicles. For example, people throwing out cigarette butts or driving into concealed locations to dump unwanted items.
The Act says the responsibility is on the owner of a vehicle for an offence committed in association with, or from, a vehicle. It is then up to the owner to declare and prove that someone else was responsible for the offence.
Reporting littering or illegal dumping
If you see someone in the act of littering or illegal dumping, please get the following information if it is safe to do so:
- where the dumping took place
- the date/day and time
- description of the person or people involved
- description of the vehicle and registration number
- amount and type of waste.
Depending on the nature of the report, Council will place yellow tape around the dumped items while they investigate the issue. They have a range of enforcement tools available to them, including fines.
Please then report the matter to Council via our Contact Centre.