Maitland City Council implements new measures to combat illegal dumping in suburban hotspot

Maitland City Council is using $83,000 of grant funding to tackle illegal dumping at a site on Weblands Street in Aberglasslyn.

Council has designed new measures to prevent, deter and educate the community on the environmental impact of illegal dumping at one of the Maitland LGA’s most prolific illegal dumping sites.

New Report Illegal Dumping (RID) signage is already in place at entrance points to the site, with bollards, cable fencing and access gates set for installation along a 550m stretch of the site’s western perimeter next month.

In the coming year, Council will also install illegal dumping surveillance cameras to support illegal dumping investigations carried out by rangers.

Maitland City Council Coordinator Regulatory Compliance Gemma McMahon said the 27.95 hectare site in Aberglasslyn had a ‘longstanding issue of illegal dumping and antisocial behaviour’.

‘Over the past five years, approximately 50 tonnes of various waste types – such as household rubbish, green waste, vehicle parts and industrial waste – have been illegally dumped at the site and removed by Council,’ Ms McMahon said.

‘The site comprises bushland and unapproved 4WD and trial bike tracks, and is accessible via several entries, which contributes to people being able to drive in and dump their waste easily.

‘Offenders have taken advantage of the site’s accessibility and proximity to urban and industrial areas, while a lack of surveillance and enforcement have limited Council’s ability to take action.’

Ms McMahon said the funding would also aid the cleanup of 10 tonnes of waste currently littering the site.

‘Ultimately, we aim to create a cleaner, safe and more sustainable Weblands Street site, enhancing the overall quality of life for the community and protecting the local environment.’

FAST FACTS

• There were 216 instances of illegal dumping documented via RID Online across the Maitland LGA in 2022/23.
• Twenty instances of illegal dumping were documented via RID Online in Weblands specifically in 2022/23 – approximately 10 per cent of all Maitland cases reported that year.
• The Weblands Street site is nestled between Aberglasslyn and Rutherford, two suburbs which make up approximately 25 per cent of Maitland’s population.