Cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish cost Lake Macquarie City Council more than $330,000 in the 2025\/26 financial year, prompting a new campaign urging residents to report offenders.<\/p>\n
Figures from the Hunter Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping Program report show almost 7,500 tonnes of waste was dumped across the city, with almost 1,300 separate incidents recorded.<\/p>\n
That compares with about 1,000 reported incidents and more than 2,000 tonnes of dumped waste in the 2023\/24 financial year, according to figures council released in August 2024.<\/p>\n
Household waste such as furniture and appliances made up more than 56 per cent of the dumped material, followed by tyres, commercial and industrial items and construction and demolition waste.<\/p>\n
Almost 700 dumping locations were identified on council-owned land, where the vast majority of incidents occurred.<\/p>\n
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said illegal dumping affected the whole community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIllegal dumping damages our bushland, waterways and wildlife habitats and places a significant financial burden on our community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCouncil has spent $331,000 cleaning up illegally dumped waste in the past financial year alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s money that could otherwise be invested in parks, roads, playgrounds and community facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
The awareness campaign, an NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) initiative funded by the waste levy, will run on radio, bus shelters, social media and council\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
It coincides with increased surveillance of dumping hot spots, where concrete barriers, gates, fences and bollards will also be installed.<\/p>\n
Council team leader environmental compliance Shane Sykes said affordable alternatives were available for people who needed to get rid of problem items.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany items can be disposed of through our bookable bulky waste service or Community Recycling Centres,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
All Lake Macquarie residents are entitled to two bookable kerbside waste collections in a 12-month period, or drop-off vouchers for the Awaba Waste Management Facility.<\/p>\n
Mr Sykes said reports from the community were vital to catching offenders.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery report helps us investigate illegal dumping and take appropriate action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur compliance officers work closely with the EPA to investigate reports and hold offenders accountable, but prevention is just as important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Offenders caught dumping paid a total of $7,400 in clean-up costs in 2025\/26, with 13 clean-up notices, eight official cautions and 78 penalty notices issued.<\/p>\n
Other landowners in Lake Macquarie paid $82,100 to clean up dumped material over the same period, while NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service paid $9,900.<\/p>\n
Mr Sykes said Local Aboriginal Land Council land was the next most targeted, with 46 dumping locations identified.<\/p>\n
That has led to a partnership between council and Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council to tackle the problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cJoining forces mean we can share resources and knowledge to crack down on this issue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
To report illegal dumping or book a bulky waste collection, visit lakemac.com.au.<\/p>\n
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