Environmentalists and Wagga council urge for proper rubbish disposal after tonnes removed from reserve

The calls come after OzFish Wagga conducted a major cleanup at Eunony Reserve last Sunday where they collected nearly two tonnes of car parts, washing machines and domestic waste.

Nicole Maher, Wagga Landcare coordinator, praised OzFish Wagga for taking the lead on the cleanup but said the dumping was disappointing.

“It’s a matter of taking responsibility for your own rubbish, basically,” Ms Maher said.

“It’s not that hard to get it to the tip and the council has collection services.

“The cost of damaging the environment is more than the costs to individuals taking their rubbish to the tip.”

Wagga carpenter Glen Boyd, who has been in the industry for 35 years and uses skip bins for rubbish at project sites before taking them to rubbish tips, said it was frustrating to continually see illegal dumping.

“After all the education in the past 30 years, people still do it,” Mr Boyd said.

“You’re always going to have people who think no one’s looking and think they’d get away with it,” Mr Boyd said.

“There’s a certain section of the community that doesn’t care.”

Mr Boyd said he believed the rise in council fees may be one issue that deters people from disposing items correctly.

“It makes people more opportunistic to dump rubbish wherever it doesn’t cost them,” Mr Boyd said.

Between the 2018 and 2019 financial years, the disposal cost at Gregadoo Waste Management Centre increased across most categories.

Construction waste rose $190 to $200 per tonne while rubble and scrap steel rose $55 to $60 per tonne. 

The council’s domestic waste-management service charges for both urban and rural residential also rose $315 to $330 per year.

However, properties that pay the charge may access one free hard-waste collection per year to dispose of up to two cubic metres of hard waste.

Geoff Pym, manager of the Gregadoo waste-management centre, encouraged residents to take up the free collection.

“The annual pre-booked hard waste collection allows residents to dispose of larger items that cannot fit in the regular kerbside service and who may not have access to a trailer or vehicle,” Mr Pym said.

As for fees deterring people, Mr Pym said the council must be financially responsible in setting its fees.

“The proposed fees are advertised to the general public for feedback prior to their approval by the elected council,” he said.

“Domestic waste management charges are determined on a cost-recovery basis and income is restricted to be applied only to domestic waste management under the Local Government Act,” he said.

A number of items can be disposed at the Gregadoo centre for free.

These include polystyrene, cardboard, car batteries, quantities of paint and motor oil, TVs and computer e-waste.

Mr Pym said that while the council did not manage Eunony Reserve, it has received funding from the Environmental Protection Authority to conduct education and surveillance programs to tackle illegal dumping across the LGA.

Hugh Kalaney, president of OzFish Wagga, said they were working with the council and Riverina Local Land Services to combat the problem.

“We’ve had nothing but support from both of them as everyone shares the same goal,” Mr Kalaney said.

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