By VANESSA VALENZUELA
A VACANT block scattered with waste and household goods near a Deer Park charity store has become the latest illegal dumping ground in Melbourne.
The empty site next to the Salvation Army Store in Westwood Drive has been littered with books, chairs, mattresses and electrical parts by lazy residents.
The Salvos’ sustainability manger Donald Munro said the Deer Park store had spent $10,000 on a fence around the car park last year to try and stop illegal dumping.
“It’s been a problem for us for a couple of years, so we put a security fence up around June to fence the area off and ask people to come back when we are open,” Mr Munro said.
“Because our car park area is now fenced off, illegal dumping of rubbish started on the waste ground next to the store. We reported it to the council on the first day that it happened in early December.”
Mr Munro said it was disappointing to see residents dump their unwanted junk on the vacant site instead of taking the rubbish to the tip.
“I don’t know what people are thinking. I am sure there is a percentage of people who think they are doing the right thing and making a donation, and then there are people who know they are doing the wrong thing,” he said.
“If you want to help the Salvation Army, bring your stuff to us when we are open, so we can look at it.”
As part of a State Government initiative, Mr Munro said the Salvos would install CCTV cameras at the Deer Park site in the coming weeks to catch dumpers.
He said the Salvos were also working with Melton Council to fence off the road near Westwood Drive in Burnside, which ran behind McDonald’s and KFC, to tackle illegal dumping in the area.
“Rubbish grows rubbish. It’s like a big magnet. If you don’t clear it up quickly enough, it just multiplies.”
Melton City Council’s operations manager Greg Wood said council was aware of the illegal dumping that had taken place on private property near to the Salvo’s outlet.
“A notice to comply has been issued to the owner of the property in question with the property owner afforded a set period of time to remove the dumped material,” he said.
“Council’s Litter Education and Enforcement officer has met with representatives, including the Salvo’s, from the various properties at this location to discuss initiatives to address illegal dumping in the area.”
He urged residents who have witnessed illegal dumping to complete a litter reporting form available from www.melton.vic.gov.au