The Victorian Government is putting illegal dumpers on notice, with new EPA drones, surveillance cameras and more officers on the ground to catch offenders.
The new crackdown will target illegal dumping hotspots across the Hume, Banyule, Melton and Greater Geelong local government areas, with staff to work with the Illegal Waste Dumping Taskforce to catch offenders and stop rubbish being dumped in their communities.
The $21.5 million Illegal Waste Dumping Taskforce is using drones and long-range cameras to find illegally dumped rubbish and track down those responsible.
“We’re teaming up with local councils to stamp out illegal dumping and keep rubbish out of our parks, streets and bushland,” said Minister for Environment, Jaclyn Symes.
“We’ve got eyes in the sky and boots on the ground to track down offenders and hold them accountable.
“These new cameras and drones mean it’s getting harder for illegal dumpers to hide and easier for us to catch them.”
The Taskforce’s arsenal includes advanced drones that use light detection and remote sensing to detect waste dumped under vegetation, and drone-mounted ground penetrating radar that detects buried waste.
The EPA is also using sniffer drones that can detect methane and other gases.
Long-range cameras can also capture footage of trucks from up to a kilometre away.
The crackdown follows a hotspot campaign in Wyndham, where surveillance cameras have helped identify trucks suspected of illegal dumping.
The Taskforce has also issued 22 clean-up orders and identified 18 new leads for investigation.
Around 12 to 15 officers will typically be deployed to each hotspot, with up to 30 officers involved in larger operations.
The crackdown comes ahead of the warmer months, when illegal dumping reports typically rise before peaking in autumn.
Offenders face fines of up to approximately $800,000 or five years in prison for individuals, while businesses can face penalties of up to $3.95 million.
Victorians who spot illegal dumping can report it to EPA Victoria on 1300 372 842 or through the EPA website.
