Local and state governments, alongside environmental agencies, have pledged to significantly increase their efforts to tackle illegal dumping in southern parts of the country. They say the problem has grown to “epidemic proportions” with the cost of prosecuting offenders now reaching into the millions.
In Victoria, environmentalists and landowners have long called for change to help fight back against illegal dumpers. On the fringes of Melbourne and in the city’s outer suburbs, the issue’s become particularly prevalent, with locals warning it’s worsening by the day.
The City of Hume identified countless illegal dumping hotspots in recent times based on resident surveys and service calls. In the Shire of Moorabool, Bacchus Marsh has also become a dumping ground. In the southeastern suburbs, Cardinia Shire is urgently asking residents to report any illegal dumping they see. In Bendigo, illegally dumped household waste has “turned once-pristine parks into unsightly wastelands”.
A Victoria Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spokesman confirmed to Yahoo News on Tuesday the rate of illegal waste dumping continues to rise across the state.
“[There have been] roughly double the reports over the last five years,” he said. “It’s statewide, so we’re keen for people to report it where they see it.”
Victoria hammered by illegal dumping as authorities vow to catch offenders
Danny Gorog, CEO and founder of Snap Send Solve, said the issue is more than just rubbish left in the wrong place, it signals a bigger issue with waste disposal accessibility and awareness.
In some parts of the state, video has captured trash-filled trucks emptying their loads onto private property in broad daylight. In Tarneit, in Melbourne’s west, fields of waste stretch over acres of property. It’s privately owned, but it resembles a council rubbish tip.
In the City of Hume, footage shows men emptying waste from a ute’s window onto the ground. Gorog said whether it’s dumped tyres in fields or household waste dumped in laneways, “it shows we need better solutions to make proper disposal easier” and more convenient.
“While most people do the right thing, it only takes a few to create a big mess for everyone else,” he had earlier told Yahoo. In Victoria, it is illegal to dump or bury any kind of waste at a location that isn’t licensed to accept it. “This includes private land,” the EPA stated.
“Everyone has encountered illegal waste dumping. Some see it as an inconvenience, but the truth is, it damages our environment, it’s a risk to our health, and it is expensive to manage.”
In the city’s north, the clean-up bill has now reached a mind-blowing $5 million. “It’s a massive burden on the ratepayer and it’s really not fair,” The City of Hume Mayor Jarred Bell told 9News, adding that many dumpers don’t even live in the LGA.
Bell said it’s prompted the council to “have our fines set at the highest legal limit we can”. “We’re going to find you, we’re going to fine you, and we’re going to hold you accountable.”
Cameras ‘don’t deter’ offenders, locals warn
Some councils have set-up 24-hour surveillance to try and curb the dumping. But locals say the cameras “don’t deter” offenders. Across Melbourne, reports have jumped 39 per cent recently, according to Snap Send Solve. In the west, year-on-year reports have increased by almost 50 per cent.
In the north, south and east, increases are also being registered, it said. Some locals say expensive tip fees are contributing to the unsightly trend, but the authorities say it’s no excuse.
The EPA responds to an average of 11 reports a day in the state. In 2024, 55 illegal rubbish dumping matters were prosecuted in court, with 25 investigations still underway. In Victoria, rubbish dumping and littering on public land carries a maximum penalty for businesses of $3,951,800 and $800,000 for individuals, or five years imprisonment, or both.
While the issue is taking a significant toll on Victorians, illegal dumping has also become a major problem in other major cities across Australia, such as Sydney and Perth. Many urban centres are grappling with similar challenges, where increasing waste is being abandoned illegally, affecting not only the environment but also local communities and infrastructure.
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