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Case studies - Tackling our dumping problem

Illegal Dumping Clean-up and Deterrence Grants Program 2002–2004

Illegal dumping of waste poses a serious problem for many local councils.  Councils do a good job managing it, but the size and diversity of the problem can often defeat the resources they have available.

To help local councils overcome the problem, the former Resource NSW (now the Office of Environment and Heritage) created the Illegal Dumping Clean-up and Deterrence Grants Program in 2002 to fund projects designed to clean up dumped material and to deter future dumping.

In total, $710,104.25 was provided to 30 councils and 1 local Aboriginal Land Council to fund 65 clean-up projects and 69 deterrence projects.

Examples of the range of projects that were funded are given in seven case studies:

• Canada Bay - Deterring Dumpers at East Street
• Cessnock - Clean Up of Six Illegal Dump Sites
• Maitland - Our Environment – Our Responsibility
• Muswellbrook - Clean-up of Dumping Hot Spots and Deterring Illegal Dumping
• Parramatta - It Comes Back to You!
• Waverley - Don't Rubbish Our Streets
• Woollahra - Liveable Lanes

Click here to find out more about the approaches used, the outcomes and the lessons learned.

Approaches used

Councils used a variety of approaches to resolve local hotspot dumping problems:

• identification and clean-up of major local hotspots
• the erection of physical barriers to stop further dumping
• community involvement in identifying hotspots and deterring further dumping
• surveillance via the use of hidden cameras and site observation by council officers
• an abseiling clean-up squad
• education by means of postcards, brochures and signage in different languages about the problems that dumping causes and the fines that apply if people are caught
• 'dob in a dumper' campaigns.

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Outcomes

Many positive environmental outcomes resulted. Councils:

• cleaned up of over 5000 tonnes of illegally dumped mixed waste from over 70 sites around NSW.
• cleaned up over 500 cubic metres of illegally dumped garden waste.
• recovered a significant amount of resources—over 50% of the waste that was removed was reused or recycled—a number of councils placed a high value on what was done with the removed material; resource recovery was the goal.
• greatly reduced dumping—dumping did not recur on nearly three-quarters of sites six months later, and where dumping was still a problem, the level had been reduced.

 

Lessons

• Clean-up and deterrence programs are effective in reducing the problem of dumping.
• Signage as a deterrent measure varied in its effectiveness. Some of the features of effective signage seem to be readability, links to the offences and penalties for dumping, appeals to the 'better nature' of the potential dumper, and signs that promote a community pride or ownership message.
• Illegal dumping continues to be a problem for many councils, and a large number of hotspots remain. These require vigilance by council staff.
• Physical barriers did not always work. Vandalism was a big problem.
• Some sites were impossible to enclose, such as back lanes, around home units, in parks and in shopping centres.
• Deterrence measures require reinforcement. A regular reminder is needed.
• It is clear that despite the high level of community support, some people still dump large amounts of unwanted material. This program demonstrates that clean-up, regulatory and educative tools used in conjunction are the best options for dealing with the problem.