Illegal dumping vision here: https://bit.ly/4pDWrzb
From Western Sydney to the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, offenders who dump waste on public and private land are the focus of a NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) program.
Nineteen projects across NSW will share $1.2 million to crack down on illegal dumping, which commonly includes household furniture, soil, construction and demolition rubble, mattresses, skips and tyres.
Round 3 of the Illegal Dumping Prevention Program will support projects such as surveillance, clean-ups, stronger enforcement and education campaigns.
NSW EPA CEO Tony Chappel said the grants will help councils and public land managers target hotspots, deter repeat offences and protect communities.
"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," Mr Chappel said.
"This $1.2 million investment will prioritise hotspots, catch offenders and clean up waste impacting the environment.
"From surveillance cameras to better waste services and public campaigns, these projects will help stop illegal behaviour and safeguard bushland, waterways and neighbourhoods.
"We know almost every council in NSW is dealing with this problem, and many are having to spend huge amounts just to manage it – money that could be going back into their communities instead."
The funding comes as recent statewide research shows illegal dumping remains a widespread issue, with 98 per cent of councils reporting it as a problem, and one in seven spending more than $500,000 each year on clean-up and enforcement.
The study also found bulky household items, such as furniture and mattresses, remain the most frequently dumped materials, while kerbsides, roadsides and bushland continue to be the hardest-hit areas.
To respond to these challenges, six of the nineteen projects will focus on preventing illegal dumping, with councils developing detailed baseline studies and tailored deterrence strategies.
Six initiatives will pilot on-the-ground interventions at dumping sites, including the use of cameras, signage, upgraded infrastructure and awareness campaigns.
Four larger projects will deliver targeted actions, including improving bulky waste collection services in Wagga Wagga, increasing surveillance along Henry Lawson Drive and enhancing enforcement and clean-up efforts in Wollongong.
The remaining three partnership projects will bring councils and government agencies together to address the issue in high-risk locations. This work includes preventing dumping in Angus in Western Sydney, reducing bushland dumping in Lake Macquarie, and protecting the Lake Nepean catchment along the Old Hume Highway.
