Hume council has spent $2.09 million cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish, litter and graffiti across a 12-month period.
The council’s sustainable infrastructure and services director Peter Waite, said that figure was for the 2016-17 financial year.
In comparison, the council spent $1.6 million on clearing dumped rubbish and graffiti in 2015-16. Eleven months into the 2017-18 financial year, the council had already spent $2.3 million cleaning up dumped waste and graffiti. Mr Waite said in the Hume area, Meadow Heights and Craigieburn were “hot spots” for dumping and graffiti.
“Dumping hot spots include industrial areas, laneways at shopping centres and unit developments and isolated rural roads,” he said.
Mr Waite said there was “no excuse for illegally dumping rubbish”.
“Hume City Council makes it easy for households to dispose of their unwanted goods,” he said.
“Each household in Hume is entitled to free annual tip passes and hard rubbish collections in addition to their weekly kerbside bin collections.”
Mr Waite said people caught illegally dumping rubbish could face penalties.
“Illegally dumped rubbish in Hume, whether it’s a food wrapper or boxes of waste, is damaging to the city’s landscape, environment and visual appearance,” he said.
“Resources spent on this issue could have gone to something more beneficial.”
At a council meeting earlier this month, which considered submissions to the Hume 2018-19 budget, the council released comments which residents had made during a May question-and-answer session on the budget.
Two members of the public said rubbish dumping was “a huge issue in Hume”.
Resident Melinda Priv said dumping in Barrymore Road reserve made the area look like a “free tip”.
Anyone who has information about dumped rubbish or graffiti can report the issue through the Hume Connect council app, which is free on IOS, Android and Windows smartphones and tablets.
