Noosa Council is continuing to crack down on illegal dumping.
Despite its best efforts, the issue continues to be a problem across the entire Shire.
Noosa Council’s Waste Coordinator, Peita Otterbach, said efforts by Council to combat illegal activity and clean up the mess have ramped up in recent years via increased community engagement, warning signs and more camera surveillance.
“Everyone has a duty to protect and preserve our environment and a personal responsibility to recycle right and dispose of waste in the right way,” she said.
“The vast majority of local residents do the right thing when it comes to disposing of waste.”
“Penalties for illegal dumping can be up to $3,338 for individuals, and companies can be fined up to $12,517.”
“When you compare that to the cost of taking a medium sized trailer or car boot load of household or green waste to the local tip, you wonder why a small minority of people continue to run the huge financial risks of getting caught dumping their waste illegally.”
Many items which are often found dumped illegally, like televisions, computers, gas bottles, paint, degassed fridges, air conditioners and white goods can be taken to the Noosa Resource Recovery Centre and dropped off for free.
“Illegal dumping also has an enormous cost to our local environment. Green waste dumped in bushland can spread weeds in our natural areas and poses a risk of fire ants being introduced across the Shire,” Ms Otterbach said.
“Noosa is currently Fire Ant-free, and we want to keep it that way. An outbreak of Fire Ants in the Shire would have serious ramifications for our community, wildlife, agriculture, and economy.”
Fire ants can affect the environment as they feed on fauna that nests or feeds on the ground, including insects, spiders, lizards, frogs, birds and mammals and can displace or eliminate some native species, eat and damage seeds, possibly causing major ecosystem changes over time.
They are also dangerous due to their painful, venomous sting and their ability to cause severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in some individuals, which can be fatal.
As well, illegal asbestos dumping continues to be a problem.
“Asbestos dumping has also required significant and costly cleanups and poses health risks,” Ms Otterbach said.
Noosa Shire residents can help to put a lid on illegal dumping by reporting it to Council on (07) 5329 6500 or via its website.
Many items can be recycled, and Council provides an A-Z Recycling Guide to help residents sort their waste, as well as the Recycle Mate app. To use the Recycle Mate app, simply search the name of an unwanted item and Recycle Mate will provide your best disposal option. Residents can download the app, or visit the website. Council also provides a directory for large household item disposal options.
