ARMIDALE Dumaresq Council has sent a loud message to illegal dumpers after another successful investigation into waste.
Council officer Nathan Smith said environmental health and compliance staff followed up on a reported case of illegally dumped waste.
“With careful use of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 which authorised staff administered, council staff were able to track down the details of the transportation of the waste,” he said.
“This information led to a clean-up notice being issued to the owner of the waste.
“This notice was issued with an administrative fee of $466.”
The council said it was putting members of the community on notice to stop illegal dumping.
“The Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 is a powerful piece of legislation, as all good pollution prevention legislation should be,” Mr Smith said.
“It gives officers powers to demand names and addresses of individuals and to require persons to provide information and records in respect of any pollution incident under investigation.
“In the end, the dumper will have to pay the administration fee, possibly a number of fines and then pay to have their waste removed – all of this adds up to a very costly exercise.”
Armidale Dumaresq Council’s waste management facility is open throughout the upcoming Easter and school holiday period, with limited hours over weekends and public holidays.
Go to www.armidale.nsw.gov.au or ring (02) 6772 7090 for operating hours.
It is illegal to dump rubbish anywhere other than a licensed waste facility.
