The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale is urging residents to report illegal dumping following a high number of cases recorded over recent months.
Shire staff have attended more than 700 instances of illegal dumping throughout the 2022/23 financial year, which averages out to almost 15 per week and three per working day.
Shire President Cr Michelle Rich said the large amount of littering is causing significant environmental, financial and social impacts on the community.
“Not only does illegal dumping wreak havoc on our local wildlife and native bushland, but it also incurs a massive cost which inevitably effects the SJ ratepayer,” Cr Rich said.
“In order to attend cases of illegal dumping, the Shire’s Operations crew are often diverted away from important jobs like maintaining our reserves or upgrading local infrastructure.
“The time our staff spend cleaning up roadside rubbish could be better spent upgrading our local infrastructure or solving drainage issues. This is a large concern for our community.”
Of the more than 700 illegal dumping jobs attended to by Shire staff, eight involved the removal of significant amounts of asbestos.
This requires the Shire to hire a contractor to dispose of the material safely, with the total cost of asbestos removals alone exceeding $17,000.
Other materials recorded in illegal dumping cases include clothing, children’s toys, white goods, furniture, tyres and mattresses – all of which are accepted and processed for free (barring a small fee on tyres and mattresses) at the Shire’s Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Centre on Watkins Road.
In total, the Shire estimates more than $1 million per year is spent on responding to and removing illegal dumping.
Cr Rich is asking residents who witness illegal dumping to lodge a report with the Shire.
“As a Shire with a vast land mass, we rely on our residents to assist us in identifying those dumping their waste illegally,” Cr Rich said.
“If safe to do so, anyone who witnesses an illegal dumping is encouraged to take a photo and record any vehicle registration numbers available before lodging a report to the Shire.
“Our Shire is a beautiful place made up of gorgeous scenery and bushland – let’s all do our part to keep it that way.”
If you see illegal dumping taking place across the Shire, lodge a report by visiting: www.sjshire.wa.gov.au/waste-and-recycling
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