A recent Spring Clean event has seen enthusiastic participation from the community, resulting in the proper disposal of hundreds of items, including tyres, mattresses, and couches.
OneFortyOne, in collaboration with the City of Mount Gambier, sponsored the community-driven event, held on 23 and 24 November 2024.
OneFortyOne Environmental Manager Belinda Williamson expressed her gratitude for the community's support.
"The Spring Clean Weekend was a fantastic trial initiative to try and address the persistent issue of illegal dumping in our forests," Ms Williamson said.
"The community's response was incredible, and we managed to collect a significant amount of waste, hopefully diverting some of this rubbish from ending up in our forests."
Over two days, the Waste Transfer Station on Eucalypt Drive was bustling with activity as residents took advantage of the opportunity to dispose of items such as car and 4WD tyres, mattresses, armchairs, and lounges sponsored by OneFortyOne.
The final tallies are in and over the weekend we collected 433 mattresses, 147 couches, 240 armchairs and around 2000 tyres. - OneFortyOne Environmental Manager Belinda Williamson
City of Mount Gambier ReUse Market and Waste Transfer Station Coordinator Rebecca Clark said the Spring Clean initiative was a tremendous success benefiting community members who took part.
"Our dedicated Waste Transfer Station team and the OneFortyOne Team worked together tirelessly to ensure everything ran smoothly," Ms Clark said.
The Waste Transfer Station team played a pivotal role in managing and organising traffic management and the waste material.
"Together they made the disposal process efficient, organised, and accessible for all evident in their ability to serve 550 cars."
Belinda emphasised the importance of community involvement.
"This event was a testament to what we can achieve when we come together as a community to do the right thing."
"While this is just a start, it is a positive step towards reducing illegal dumping and protecting our beautiful forests for everyone."
"We're looking forward to measuring the real success of the event, and tracking any changes in the amount of rubbish dumped in the forests surrounding Mount Gambier over the coming months."
