Illegal Dumping
Moving house or apartment, and getting rid of items can be a hassle, an added expense, and an inconvenience.
However, 'there's nothing good about being dumped'.
Dumping your waste items on the kerbside or in parks and bushland is illegal and an unsightly inconvenience for your neighbours. Please consider your neighbours, your community and your environment and dispose of your waste properly.
Items that are considered illegal when dumped include:
- general household rubbish
- larger domestic items (for example mattresses, furniture and whitegoods)
- construction and demolition waste including excavation waste and asbestos
- garden organic material
- chemicals and other hazardous waste
- abandoned vehicles, car parts and shopping trolleys
If you have waste items to dispose of consider the following:
- Can it be fixed, reused or resold?
- Can it be recycled?
- Can it be donated to a charity, friends or family?
Otherwise, dispose of your waste legally:
- A free household clean up service is organised twice a year by Mosman Council. Items should only be placed at the kerbside the day prior to the collection.
- Additional clean up collections can be arranged outside of these times. Contact the waste line on 9978 4076 to book a pre-paid collection service for a day that suits you.
- Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre in Terrey Hills is our legal waste facility. Please visit the website to check what materials are accepted.
Report illegal dumping
If you identify items that have been illegally dumped you can report it by contacting the Waste Line on 9978 4076.
What are the fines for illegal dumping?
| Offence | Penalty Individual | Penalty Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Unlawful transporting or depositing of waste (asbestos waste) | $4,000 | $8,000 |
| Unlawful transporting or depositing of waste (hazardous waste) | $4,000 | $8,000 |
| Unlawful transporting or depositing of waste (more than 1 m3 or 2 tonnes) | $4,000 | $8,000 |
| Unlawful transporting or depositing of waste (other waste) | $2,000 | $4,000 |
Impact of illegal dumping
Illegal dumping has significant environmental and social costs for residents of Mosman. Some of these include:
- Land degradation and the destruction of local bush land
- Contamination of soil and water sources due to runoff from dump sites
- Dumped materials can catch fire either by spontaneous combustion or arson, which can damage property and bushland
- Illegal dumping items are a lost resource as some of these items can be recycled
- Dumped items can create physical (protruding nails or sharp edges) and chemical hazards (harmful fluids or dust) for local residents
- Dump sites attract rodents, insects and other vermin that post health risks
- Thousands of volunteer hours are spent participating in clean up initiatives, such as Clean Up Australia Day, which becomes a waste of community resources
Last updated Thursday 25 July 2024
Last updated Thursday 25 July 2024