The housing crisis is an issue on the tip of nearly every Australian’s tongue, whether you’re a homeowner, a first-home buyer or a renter. The lack of housing supply is pushing up prices, leaving many everyday Aussies fearing they will be locked out of homeownership and some without a home at all.
Governments and local authorities are doing what they can to bridge the gap, and developers are scrambling to meet ambitious targets to build more affordable housing to match the demand.
But a sinister and lesser-talked-about problem is emerging as a result of the push to build new homes — waste.
Corners are being cut when it comes to removing rubbish from construction sites and the sheer volume of waste emerging as a consequence of the race to build homes is leaving a catastrophic and ugly mark on the environment.
This was laid bare by an “incredibly brazen” dumping of over a tonne of construction waste on the side of the road in one of the country’s fastest-growing municipalities on the outskirts of Melbourne.
Shocking photos supplied to Yahoo News show timber, concrete, and rubble littered along Holdern Road in Toolern Vale, suspected to have been dumped there with a tip truck on October 5.
It prompted a scathing warning from the town’s mayor, who has been fighting to crack down on the pervasive issue.
Mayor Steve Abboushi told Yahoo News that there is “no excuse” for illegal rubbish dumping, an ongoing crisis in the region costing the City of Melton over $3 million a year to clean up.
Council workers scrambled to clean up the hazardous scene. Source: Supplied
“If caught, offenders risk fines of up to $2,000 for individuals and nearly $10,000 for businesses,” he said.
Abboushi said in the last financial year, 143 fines were issued for illegal dumping and 14 matters were referred to court. “If you dump your rubbish illegally in our City, you risk getting caught and penalised,” he warned.
Concrete, wood and rubble were among the illegally dumped waste on the side of the road. Source: Supplied
Calls for ‘patrols’ to catch illegal waste dumpers in the act
It comes as the council cracks down on the building industry, but there is just one problem. Council has no idea who dumped the waste.
While the council has introduced proactive measures to deter illegal dumping, including cameras installed in high-risk dumping locations, there will always be cases that slip through the cracks.
Last financial year, the City of Melton alone spent over $3 million cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish. That’s equates to more than 6000 tonnes or approximately 200 big garbage trucks.
The waste was so close to the road that it would have been “easy” for someone to inadvertently drive into it in the dark, the resident who took the photos said.
“Whoever dumped that waste had zero concerns for the safety of other road users,” he said.
He called for regular patrols to catch dumpers in the act.
“If there were regular patrols, perhaps some of the dumpers would be caught,” he said.
EPA given ‘greater powers’ to crack down on illegal dumping
A Victorian government spokesperson previously told Yahoo News it is aware of the impact illegal dumping has on local communities and the government.
“That’s why we have given the EPA greater powers to crack down on offenders, including tougher penalties for repeat offenders,” he said.
“The EPA is working with local governments across the state, along with industry and community to address this issue as part of its Illegal Waste Disposal Program, which aims to disrupt systematic illegal waste disposal.”
Rubbish dumping and littering on public land is illegal, with the maximum penalty for businesses being $3,951,800, or for individuals $800,000 or 5 years imprisonment, or both.
Victorians are urged to report illegal dumping by contacting the EPA on 1300 372 842.
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