EPA Victoria CEO Joss Crawford has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement that applications are opening for the $8.5 million Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program, providing extra financial support for councils and public land managers to clean up illegally dumped waste.
The Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program will be administered by DEECA and is part of the Government’s $21.5 million statewide crackdown on illegal dumping. It will provide rebates to the following organisations responsible for the maintenance of public lands:
- Local government authorities.
- Crown land Committees of Management.
- Parks Victoria.
- Department of Transport and Planning (VicRoads and VicTrack).
“Separately, EPA and the Conservation Regulator will spearhead an illegal waste dumping taskforce investigating dumping and holding those responsible to account,” said Crawford.
“Whether they’re being lazy, deliberately avoiding the legitimate cost of legal disposal or dumping for profit, they’re shifting the cost on to the community who are not responsible and who should not be left with a bill for the clean up.”
The taskforce will be led by the EPA, who will work with Conservation Regulator and undertake enforcement activities using expanded intelligence and monitoring to detect and respond to waste crimes in key locations.
Rubbish dumping and littering on public land is illegal with a maximum penalty of $3,951,800 for businesses and $800,000 for individuals or five years imprisonment, or both.
“Too often councils and public land managers are left with a costly mess to clean up from the actions of wrong-doers – this rebate scheme provides support to help cover these costs and keep our suburbs and towns clean,” said Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos.
More information about the rebate scheme is available here.