Dead cows, old boats, tyres, green waste and asbestos are among a long list of items found illegally dumped across Moreton Bay City in just three years.
And council says it has been prosecuting an average of 13 people a week since 2023 involving at least 2056 significant illegal dumping sites.
The waste items found dumped at these sites added up to 3,405,227 litres, enough to fill more than 14,000 wheelie bins, council says.
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery says the statistics show a real need for people to be more responsible when it comes to waste disposal.
“Illegal dumping is just not on – it impacts the enjoyment of public spaces and poses a danger to people, wildlife and our environment,” he says.
“Dumped items such as asbestos, chemical drums and (dead) cows create serious health hazards while green waste can introduce invasive pests and increase the risk of wildfires.”
He also says the problem creates financial issues for residents.
“It’s costly for ratepayers with council spending millions of dollars each year cleaning up illegal dump sites – money that could be better spent on community amenities and services.”
Flannery says council takes illegal dumping seriously and encourages anyone with information, imagery or CCTV footage of illegal dumping to report it to them.
“We have a state-funded dedicated illegal dumping officer, who is backed up by additional investigators and our rangers, to help stamp out this issue,” he explains.
“Council is doing its bit to combat illegal dumping but we need residents and commercial operators to do the right thing and dispose of their waste correctly.
“This means correctly disposing of waste in council bins and using their annual entitlement to dump three tonnes of waste or make 26 trips at council waste facilities for free.”
COWS AND BOATS DUMPED
In Queensland, illegal dumping is defined as the unlawful disposal of any waste material of 200 litres (a wheelie bin) or more.
Hotspots for illegal dumping across the city include high density areas such as unit complexes, new development areas, parks and reserves and on state land such as national parks, forest plantations and habitat reserves.
Items commonly dumped include household rubbish, furniture, appliances, mattresses, tyres, green waste, building waste, chemical drums, paint tins and asbestos.
Some of the more unusual items found dumped include dead cows in state forests and old boats in car parks.
Illegal practices also cover the dumping of green waste such as grass clippings and tree branches, household waste in public bins and kerbside dumping.
Council says it has the power to investigate and prosecute illegal dumpers with 282 infringements notices issued over three years.
Individuals face fines of greater than $2670 or, if convicted in court, up to $66,760.
For corporations, these fines are $8345 and $333,800 respectively.
The public can report illegal dumping by clicking here to download the Snap Send Solve app or report online.
Click here for more information about waste disposal in Moreton Bay.
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