Litter & illegal dumping
Littering
According to the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), the single most common litter item in Australia is the cigarette butt. Cigarette butts make up half of the litter in NSW.
Other common litter includes small pieces of paper, chip and confectionery wrappers, fast-food packaging, bottle caps, glass pieces, glass alcohol bottles, plastic straws and soft drink bottles (both plastic and metal).
Littering is an offence. You can be fined if you commit a littering offence. For further information the DECC has a comprehensive website about littering.
It includes information about littering laws and regulations, as well as advice on what you can do to prevent littering.
Illegal dumping
Council investigates all reports of illegal dumping in public and private places. Council officers attend the sites of illegal dumping and conduct investigations in an attempt to identify where the waste material originated from and who was responsible for dumping the waste.
Illegal dumpers are part of our community, they are regular people just like you, except, they dispose of their waste illegally. This irresponsible waste dumping creates a number of risks that may adversely effect the environment in which we live. These risks include:
- Dangerous or unsafe play areas
- Health problems
- Environmental hazard
- Poor visual amenity.
Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, it is an offence to transport waste to or deposit waste in a place that can not lawfully be used as a waste facility and also an offence to cause or permit it to be transported or deposited. Penalties for this offence can be up to $250,000 for individuals and $1 million for corporations. On the spot penalty notices of up to $5000 can be issued by officers for lesser offences.
Council conducts free kerbside collections within the Newcastle Local Government Area twice per year for residents to legally dispose of any unwanted household bulk waste. Further information on this service can be found here
Please play your part in protecting the environment in which we live by acting responsibly. Contact Council's Compliance Services on (02) 4974 2000 if you require any further information or if you have information on dumped waste (your call can be treated confidentially).
Mattress dumpers beware
The City of Newcastle is investigating an increase in illegal mattress dumping taking place across the local government area.
Anyone with information about the illegal dumping of mattresses or other waste material is encouraged to contact Council.
Regular bulk waste and green waste collections are provided. Residents are reminded that placing material on footways outside these times is illegal and on the spot fines of up to $5000 may be issued to offenders.
Contact us
City Administration Centre
282 King Street
Newcastle NSW 2300
Tel: 02 4974 2000
