$1.3M Allocated to Combat Illegal Dumping

Fourteen councils, two joint organisations of councils and two NSW National Parks state conservation areas will share in more than $1.3 million to combat illegal dumping thanks to new grants from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

The Illegal Dumping Prevention Grants will help councils and National Parks establish illegal dumping prevention projects to stop bulky or hazardous waste from being discarded in their areas.

NSW EPA Executive Director of Engagement, Education and Programs Liesbet Spanjaard said with increasing options for recycling, reuse and disposal, there is no excuse for this type of behaviour.

"Everyone wants to live in a community that they can be proud of, so we're supporting the most effective and targeted solutions to stop waste from being discarded in our streets, parks, bushland and waterways," Ms Spanjaard said.

"Illegal dumping has huge impacts on communities across NSW, ranging from costs for councils to clean-up to effects on local economies and tourism.

"As we transition to a more circular economy in NSW, it's vital that waste is being reused or disposed of correctly to ensure our environment does not come to harm."

Th grants will support a range of strategies to deter illegal dumping including infrastructure such as fencing and gates, surveillance, education and clean-ups.

"This funding will build on previous work the EPA and councils have done to reduce illegal dumping and protect the environment in NSW, including in areas that are home to precious wildlife," Ms Spanjaard said.

"This includes the Werakata State Conservation Area, which is home to the endangered swift parrot and the critically endangered regent honeyeater, and the Garawarra State Conservation Area, which is a haven for eucalypt and subtropical forests."

Recipient councils include Albury, Bathurst, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Kyogle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Penrith and Singleton councils as well as joint organisations of councils in the Illawarra and Queanbeyan regions.

Five additional regional councils, Walgett, Leeton Shire, Edward River, Bogan Shire and Balranald Shire, will receive smaller grants to collect data on illegal dumping in their area, in order to become eligible for future grants.

The grants form part of the NSW EPA's Illegal Dumping Prevention Strategy 2022-2027 which aims to support a circular economy and ensure natural environments and streetscapes in NSW are free of dumped waste.

The NSW Government has allocated $16 million over five years for a range of illegal dumping prevention programs under the Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041.

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