COUNCIL authorities have issued a fresh warning over people continuing to illegally dump household rubbish on the fringe areas of Mount Gambier.
With trailer loads of rubbish being strewn along roadsides and in plantations, Grant District Council has vowed to catch the brazen perpetrators.
The warning comes as the local government sector seeks financial support from government agencies – including the Environment Protection Authority – to help pay for the disposal of illegally dumped rubbish into landfill.
This comes as councils struggle with increasing costs of disposing waste amid the Chinese ban on recyclable plastics.
Cars, washing machines, stoves, dirty mattresses and even deadly asbestos are among the junk being dumped, usually under the cover of darkness.
It is understood many of the illegal dumpers live within the Mount Gambier city boundary.
Grant District Mayor Richard Sage described the behaviour of illegal dumpers as “very disappointing”.
“This is disheartening, it is wasting ratepayers’ money,” Mr Sage said.
He warned dumpers faced hefty fines, prosecution and in some instances were “made to pick up their rubbish”.
He said councils should receive help from government agencies, including Zero Waste, to help relieve the financial burden.
Mount Gambier Mayor Andrew Lee said he understood the frustrations flowing from his neighbouring council.
“Illegal dumping is unacceptable behaviour,” Mr Lee said yesterday.
“The City Council provides suitable facilities for ratepayers to dump their rubbish.”
He said the opening of a “re-use” centre in October could help alleviate the problem.
The Local Government Association is pushing for the EPA to assist with the liability associated with illegal dumping.
Grant District Council environmental services director Leith McEvoy warned illegal dumping continued to be a major problem.
“Council strongly believes residents of the City Council impact on our regularity of illegal dumping, through the City Council’s waste management fee structure and our council’s environment being largely rural, primary and forestry plantations,” Mr McEvoy said.
He said this allowed people to dump waste “inconspicuously”.
“Over the years council has had more instances whereby evidence of the owner of the waste has been from the neighbouring City Council area and not from the Grant district area,” he said.
Mr McEvoy said council should receive a refund from the EPA’s solid waste levy for illegally dumped material, given local government had to pay the cost of removal, transport to landfill and landfill disposal costs.
“Council has purchased and used numerous mobile security cameras over the years, with some of these being stolen despite efforts to hide them from public view,” the council executive said.
In correspondence dating back to 2015, Grant council requested City Council consider sharing some of the costs of the illegal rubbish.
In a statement from the EPA, the regulator said it not been formally approached by the LGA for financial assistance associated with illegally dumped waste.
“The EPA is South Australia’s environmental regulator and does not have provisions to provide grants,” a spokesperson said.
However, the EPA has provided councils across state with operational support and training as part of the implementation of the new Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016.
“The EPA is committed to ensuring local government receive appropriate information and resources to support the implementation of the Act,” a spokesperson said.
“The EPA has previously provided resources, such as surveillance cameras and technical assistance to councils when requested. This support will continue.”
