Western Australia’s City of Gosnells Council has installed new signs at a number of illegal dumping hotspots across the City in the hope they will act as a deterrent and warning to anyone thinking of disposing their rubbish illegally.
Mayor, Terresa Lynes said the signs were the latest effort in the City’s fight against illegal dumping.
“These signs will act as a visual reminder to anyone who is thinking of illegally dumping waste in the City of Gosnells – our community is fed up with your rubbish and we are watching,” she said.
“I hope the signs also generate discussion among our community and generate support for the view that there is no excuse for illegal dumping.”
Since October, the Council has successfully deployed covert CCTV at illegal dumping hotspots, resulting in the successful prosecution of nine offenders, some local and some from beyond the local government area. Another person is currently awaiting trial and four more incidents are being investigated.
“It costs the City about $250,000 each year to clear away illegally-dumped rubbish from public land, funds which could be much better spent on services and programs for our community,” Mayor Lynes said.
“Illegal dumping not only looks and often smells terrible, it’s unsafe for residents, harmful to the environment and a financial burden on our community.”
Commonly dumped items include kitchen waste, nappies, household goods, furniture, electrical items, packaging and more.
Individuals caught dumping rubbish may face fines of up to $5,000, while businesses or corporate entities may be fined up to $10,000.
