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Help keep Whyalla beautiful
Whyalla City Council is calling on residents to help keep Whyalla beautiful.
The council spends more than $50,000 of ratepayers’ money each year on cleaning up illegal dumping around the city.
Littering occurs in all places – laneways, parks, bushland areas and footpaths.
While the majority of Whyalla residents follow the correct procedures and dispose of unwanted waste legally, not everybody does the right thing.
In the past calendar year Whyalla City Council has introduced regular electronic surveillance in various locations such as bush areas and industrial sites.
While the amount of rubbish and the timing of illegal dumping differs, there is a certain pattern being repeated within the city’s industrial suburbs.
In the past, some recycling businesses encouraged residents to leave unwanted metal items outside their premises, however this was eventually regulated to small crates.
Since this time, some businesses abandoned the practice, but the public still leaves rubbish, such as white goods, TVs, and tyres on the public footpaths of these businesses.
Whyalla City Council Manager Environmental Health and Regulatory Services Samantha Bowman said the introduced surveillance system provided good evidence in some cases and had led to the issue of a number of infringements.
Mrs Bowman said it was disappointing that some residents refused to do the right thing by not only the council, but by the environment as well.
“Illegal dumping causes a great strain on the council’s resources but more importantly on our environment,” Mrs Bowman said.
“Some items can take decades to decompose, and poses a huge threat to native animals in the area.
“The council is calling on residents to do the right thing and dispose of their rubbish appropriately, or if you see anyone illegally dumping their rubbish, to record as many details as possible, and then report them to the council.”
Expiation notices issued for littering in a public place can incur a fine of $315, while more serious offences are dealt with under EPA legislation and may lead to prosecution.
For information on waste and recycling policies and regulations, pricing and opening times of the Mount Laura Waste and Resource Recovery Centre, contact the council on 8640 3444 or visit the council’s website, www.whyalla.sa.gov.au