RESIDENTS sick of litter being dumped around Melton are urging the council to provide an annual hard waste collection.
Western Suburbs Animal Rescue Service spokesman Nathan Miles, who this month filmed a person dumping rubbish, including a lawn mower in Hillside, said he had witnessed numerous people dumping in the past few years.
“That’s why I’ve decided to film them from now on. If I just get a numberplate it’s not enough for Melton Council [to charge the offender],” Mr Miles said.
He, too, had noticed more hard waste, including tyres, being left along the Melton Highway and said rubbish was piling up near building sites in Caroline Springs.
Toolern Vale Landcare member Brad MacPherson also believes illegal dumping is on the rise. “I’ve noticed increased dumping of stolen cars, domestic and building waste along our roadsides. The dumping has been creating dangerous health hazards to drivers, pedestrians and other road users. Burnt-out cars are frequently appearing along Ryans Lane and can remain there for weeks.
“The council has, in most cases been very prompt in cleaning up the waste. But as a community I think we can do more, both keeping a vigilant eye out for roadside offenders, recording numberplates and recording the time, place and date.”
The illegal activity occurred mostly at night. “Council should be implementing an annual hard waste collection for all residents, similar to the system Brimbank Council uses,” he said.
“Illegal rubbish dumping within the municipality is costing the council hundreds of thousands of dollars in clean-up bills.”
Mr MacPherson wants the council to increase video surveillance and out-of-hours patrols at dumping hot spots.
“Melton Council’s website shows that in the 2009-10 financial year, 869 tonnes of illegally dumped litter was collected in Melton Shire.
“The cost to ratepayers of disposing of this litter was over $280,000,” he said. But the council’s operations manager, Greg Wood, said illegal dumping was common across the state, both within municipalities that provided hard waste collection services and those that
did not.
“Council provides an ‘at call’ hard waste recycling and reuse collection service and has done so since 2010,” he said.
“Residents are able to book one collection of up to three cubic metres of hard waste at any time throughout the year using the voucher contained in their rates notice. Alternatively, residents are able to use the vouchers to take their material to the Melton Recycling Facility.”
Both the council and Environment Protection Authority have urged residents to “dob in” illegal dumpers.
“We encourage individuals and businesses to do the right thing in disposing of rubbish,” an EPA spokesman said. “If you don’t do the right thing, fines can range from $1200 for an individual and $6000 for a company up to $250,000 if the matter goes to court.”
To report littering offences, phone 1300372842.
