Push to deter illegal dumping

Council will apply for funding to strengthen its ability to investigate and respond to illegal dumping practices.

Grants of up to $200,000 are available to councils through the Queensland Department of Environment and Science’s Illegal Dumping Partnership Program.

The funding will allow Council to contract two compliance officers for 12 months, dedicated to identifying and investigating illegal dumping areas throughout the Cairns region.

It is hoped this will have a twofold benefit: to discourage illegal dumping by increasing the risk of being caught; and through education to increase the uptake of responsible disposal options.

As one of the lead agencies responsible for the management of waste in Cairns, as well as being an active member of the Reef Guardian Council program, Council is committed to reducing the impacts of land-based runoff to the Great Barrier Reef, which includes illegal dumping.

Council also ran a dedicated illegal dumping awareness campaign from December 2017 through to April 2018.

The campaign, which included advertising in print, TV, social media and digital mediums, focused on how illegal dumping impacts residents’ ability to enjoy our natural environment, in particular beaches and creeks.

A review of the campaign indicated advertising reached more than half the Cairns community and there was a notable decrease in illegal dumping complaints to Council during the campaign.