The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has awarded $1,658,094 across 23 waste grants to identify local illegal dumping sites and implement prevention and clean-up programs.  

Environmental health officer, Belinda Olsen, said in the past the council has spent thousands of public funds investigating and removing illegally dumped materials from the perimeter of landfills, road sides, river banks and open spaces. 

“Illegal dumping degrades the environment, risks public health and the local community pays a high cost to clean it up. This grant will help us target illegal dumping hotspots to clean up existing materials and prevent illegal dumpers from re-offending.” Mrs Olsen said.

The grant will be used to implement an initial clean-up of identified hotspots throughout the shire.

This will be followed by the installation of infrastructure such as signage and surveillance cameras in partnership with NSW Trade and Investment (Crown Lands) and the Moree Local Aboriginal Land Council. 

Visual surveillance will be ramped up by council rangers in partnership with authorised officers from Crown Lands.

The council acknowledged community education was a key factor to help prevent illegal dumping of rubbish on private and public land. 

Part of the grant will be used to fund educational campaigns to raise awareness and implement behavioural change to prevent littering and illegal dumping.

Council also encouraged members of the community to report instances of illegal dumping, which could be done anonymously. 

Illegal dumping can also be reported to the local police station.

The project is a NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.

The NSW EPA’s $465.7 million Waste Less Recycle More initiative aims to transform waste and recycling in NSW. 

It includes funding for business recycling, market development, managing problem wastes, new waste infrastructure, local councils and programs to tackle illegal dumping and litter.