Council to trial CCTV to keep Cardinia Shire clean

Illegal rubbish dumping is the deliberate disposal of waste materials, including general rubbish, hard rubbish, building materials, and green waste on roadsides, onto public or private land.

Jointly funded by Council and Sustainability Victoria’s Litter and Illegal Dumping Grants, the project will implement roving CCTV cameras and signage at 10 sites to record site activities, help identify offenders, and deter illegal dumping behaviour.

The illegal dumping CCTV trial survey asks the community to provide details about key locations across the shire where they have observed illegally dumped rubbish. Available at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/HaveYourSay, the survey is open from Monday 23 April to 5pm, Friday 11 May.

Cardinia Shire Acting General Manager Assets and Services, Ben Wood said the survey results will help to inform the locations for the cameras and signage, which will change regularly throughout the 6-month trial.

“We’ve already identified some illegal dumping hot spots from past service requests, but the community’s input and support in this trial will be crucial to its success, so we’re asking the community to provide information on sites they would like to see considered in the trial,” Mr Wood said.

“We hope that throughout this trial, people in the community will join us in taking a stand against illegal dumping; by completing the survey, by saying something if they see something, by educating themselves on alternative ways to dispose of rubbish, and by being open with others that illegal dumping in Cardinia Shire is not ok.”

Council often tracks down offenders and issues on-the-spot fines, of up to $9,500 depending on the degree of offence, under the Environment Protection Act. Additionally, if the matter proceeds to court, offenders can incur up to 1 month imprisonment, in addition to clean up costs. 

Being delivered in line with the Cardinia Shire Waste and resource recovery strategy (2017–26), the project is a means to gain evidence of illegal dumping and littering. The CCTV systems and signage will further help Council to zero in on illegal dumping offenders.

Mr Wood said Council is collecting illegal dumping faster than ever, but unfortunately, this action alone will not prevent the issue.

“Illegal rubbish dumping costs the whole community. The implications of illegal dumping go far beyond the cost of removal and disposal, which involves Council officer time and contractor costs. For Council, further impacts include resourcing to investigate cases and pursue offenders, as well as planning and implementing programs to address and prevent it from happening in the first place,” Mr Wood said.

“For the broader community though, dumped rubbish impacts our streetscapes and open spaces, and it can be hazardous to the natural environment, our local wildlife, and resident health. It also means that rates revenue is going toward cleaning up after other people, rather than funding other programs and projects.”

Alternative rubbish disposal options include using the kerbside rubbish, recycling and organics collection service, registering for the free Detox Your Home days each year, taking rubbish to a local waste facility, or making use of the free hard and bundled green waste collections, which occur twice a year.

For more information about recycling and disposing of miscellaneous items, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/otherrubbish

To report illegal dumping, complete the online form at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/report, call Council’s Customer Service on 1300 787 624, or contact Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).