The Gold Coast City Council has announced that it is cracking down on illegal dumping, with a dedicated team of officers equipped with covert surveillance equipment deployed across the city.
Mayor Tom Tate, who officially launched the crackdown, said: “It is a blight on our city and offenders can be fined or prosecuted.”
NewsCorp’s Gold Coast Bulletin released an expose in February that warned community members that illegal dumping was increasing through the hinterland and likely to “go through the roof”, exacerbated by the council’s funding issues.
In August, the Department of Transport and Main Roads indicated significant amounts of dumped illegal asbestos had delayed the building of a portion of the M1. The site was found to contain more than 44,000 tonnes of asbestos-containing material.
The council says the state’s Labor government’s reforms on levies and recycling grants have reduced their available budgets to deal with the issue of illegal dumping.
The teams who manage the illegal waste in bushland areas have expressed concerns for their safety over increasingly dangerous work.
Habitat management director Matt Keys said: “Often we find that the waste is full of potential nasties. We’ve come across … asbestos, solvents, acids, paints, soiled clothing and syringes too,” he said.
Council will position cameras “to maximise opportunities to identify illegal dumping”.
“For obvious reasons, we won’t say where these cameras are but anyone planning on dumping rubbish, furniture, building materials, tyres or any other items is on notice – you will be caught and can be fined or prosecuted,” Cr Tate said.