A stinky and unsightly mess

By Sheree Hoddinett 

From empty paddocks to suburban car parks, some people are treating the outdoors like an open-air skip and the scale of it might just surprise you. 

Dead cattle (yes, you read that right!), old boats, tyres, green waste and asbestos are just some of the items that have been illegally dumped across City of Moreton Bay over the past three years. 

Since 2023, council has investigated and prosecuted individuals in relation to: 

• At least 2056 significant illegal dumping sites.  

• This equates to an average of 13 every week.  

• The total volume of illegally dumped material reached a staggering 3,405,227 litres. 

• This total is enough to fill more than 14,000 wheelie bins. 

Mayor Peter Flannery said the figures showed a clear need for greater responsibility when it comes to waste disposal. 

“Illegal dumping is just not on – it impacts the enjoyment of public spaces and poses a danger to people, wildlife and our environment,” he said. “Illegally dumped items such as asbestos, chemical drums and cattle carcasses create serious health hazards, while green waste can introduce invasive pests and increase the risk of wildfires. “It’s a costly problem for ratepayers too, with council spending millions of dollars each year cleaning up illegal dump sites - money that could be better spent on community amenities and services.” 

In Queensland, illegal dumping is defined as the unlawful disposal of any type of waste material measuring 200 litres or more, roughly the size of a standard wheelie bin. 

Illegal dumping hotspots in City of Moreton Bay include high-density areas such as unit complexes, new development zones, parks and reserves, as well as state land including national parks, forest plantations and habitat reserves. 

Frequently dumped items range from household rubbish, furniture, appliances, mattresses, tyres and green waste to building materials, chemical drums, paint tins and even asbestos. Among the more unusual finds are livestock carcasses dumped in state forests and old boats abandoned in car parks. 

Did you know that illegal dumping also includes popping your household rubbish in public bins, leaving unwanted items kerbside or even disposing of grass clippings and tree branches in bushy areas or empty paddocks? While it may seem like a great idea at the time it’s actually not on! 

Council has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute illegal dumping offences within City of Moreton Bay and has issued 282 infringements over the past three years.  

• Individuals can face on-the-spot fines of more than $2670. 

• If you find yourself in court, you may incur court-imposed penalties anywhere up to $66,760.  

• For corporations, fines can climb to $8345 or as much as $333,800 if prosecuted. 

“Council takes illegal dumping seriously and we encourage anyone with information, imagery or CCTV footage of illegal dumping occurring to report the matter to us,” Mayor Flannery said. “We have a state-funded dedicated illegal dumping officer, who is backed up by additional investigators and our rangers, to help stamp out this issue.” 

To help prevent illegal dumping, there are things you can do from home: 

• Dispose of your rubbish correctly: use the rubbish, recycling and green waste bins (if you have one). 

• Use your annual entitlement: dump three tonnes of waste or make 26 trips at council waste facilities for free. 

• Waste management facilities/transfer stations in City of Moreton Bay include: Ningi, Toorbul, Caboolture, Upper Caboolture, Wamuran, Woodford, Dakabin, Dayboro, Redcliffe, Mount Nebo, Samford and Bunya. Check online for opening times and accepted items. 

• Consider other rubbish removal options such as hiring a skip bin, hiring a professional rubbish removal company or even create your own home compost bin.  

• Don’t forget about your 10 cent containers/cans/bottles and locations where you can return them for cash/vouchers. 

• Before discarding items that are definitely not rubbish (clothing, furniture, etc.), consider if they might be useful to someone else first via a charity donation, offer for free or even sell online.  

If you would like to report illegal dumping, use the Snap, Send, Solve app or report it online.  

For more information about the correct way to dispose of waste in the City of Moreton Bay, visit www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Waste-Recycling