Funding to Address Waste Management Issues
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has announced $1.2 million in grants aimed at addressing illegal dumping across the state. This initiative will fund 19 projects to combat waste on both public and private lands.
The third round of the Illegal Dumping Prevention Programme will support efforts like surveillance, clean-ups, stronger enforcement, and educational campaigns. Commonly dumped items include household furniture, construction rubble, and tyres.
NSW EPA CEO Tony Chappel stated, "Illegal dumping damages our environment, puts pressure on councils and costs millions of dollars each year to clean up, leaving communities to deal with the mess."
Targeted Actions and Interventions
Funding will target dumping hotspots, with six projects focusing on prevention strategies. Six others will implement on-ground interventions using cameras, improved signage, and public awareness campaigns at identified sites.
Larger projects will enhance services in specific areas, such as improving bulky waste collection in Wagga Wagga and increasing surveillance along Henry Lawson Drive in Wollongong. Partnerships will address high-risk locations like Angus in Western Sydney and bushland areas in Lake Macquarie.
Research shows illegal dumping is a widespread issue, with 98 per cent of NSW councils reporting it as a problem. One in seven councils spends over $500,000 each year on related clean-up and enforcement activities.
To tackle these challenges, six of the nineteen projects will focus on preventing illegal dumping, while others will pilot on-the-ground interventions at dumping sites. These efforts include using cameras, signage, and upgraded infrastructure.
Four larger projects will deliver targeted actions such as improving waste collection services. These initiatives aim to reduce the environmental impact and financial burden on local councils.
The remaining three partnership projects will bring councils and government agencies together to address the issue in high-risk locations. This includes preventing dumping in Angus, reducing bushland dumping in Lake Macquarie, and protecting the Lake Nepean catchment along the Old Hume Highway.
