All eyes on illegal dumping

The City of Canterbury Bankstown is stepping up the fight against illegal dumping, with a number of community groups taking part in its latest campaign – Eyes On It.

Council and Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) officers will be joined by members of Environment@Lakemba, Chester Hill Environment Group and Cleaner Greener Riverwood, patrolling streets in search of illegally dumped rubbish. Any dumped rubbish they find will be taped, labelled and investigated, followed by appropriate action.

Mayor Khal Asfour said putting items on the street without a pre-booked Clean Up is illegal and can attract a fine of up to $4,000.

“Illegal dumping is, unfortunately, a significant challenge faced by all councils, and requires considerable financial and staffing resources to manage,” Mayor Asfour said.

“While it’s a minority doing the wrong thing, their actions lead to very ugly, messy, and unsafe conditions in our City.”

In 2017-18, a total of 2,400 tonnes of rubbish was removed from areas in Canterbury-Bankstown, in 15,000 separate incidents.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s very simple – you need to get rid of waste the right way,” Mayor Asfour said.

"There are a number of easy and convenient options available to residents wanting to dispose of items that are not accepted in the household bin service – they certainly beat running the risk of copping a $4,000 fine.

“Our residents can book two free Council Clean Up collections each year, where we’ll collect household furniture, metal appliances and even garden waste at a time that suits them.

“They can also drop their items at a local waste or recycling facility, or book a private collection.

"We’ve also teamed up with local environmental charity, The Bower, to provide a free collection and rehoming service for unwanted items that are still in good condition.”

Mayor Asfour also encouraged residents who do the right thing to remain vigilant.

“Our officers cannot be everywhere all the time, so we rely on residents to be our eyes and ears,” Mayor Asfour said.

“If you see someone dumping rubbish, report it by calling Council on 9707 9000, or the RID Squad on 131 555. Information from residents has led to successful prosecutions.”

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

For more information on how you can dispose of items that are not accepted in the household bin service, as well as Council’s other anti-dumping programs, visit cb.city/antidumpingprograms

To book a Council clean-up, or for more information about The Bower, visit cb.city/cleanup