January 31, 2020
The South Burnett, Cherbourg and North Burnett councils are collaborating to help stamp out illegal dumping in their boundaries.
The three councils will receive a grant of $158,500 from the State Government’s Local Government Illegal Dumping Partnerships program to fund an on-ground officer to investigate and prevent illegally dumped waste entering the environment.
As well, Cherbourg Council has been allocated an extra $78,000 under the program.
The State Government is funding 19 projects worth $3.6 million across 29 participating councils under the Illegal Dumping Partnerships program.
Successful applicants were announced on Friday.
The government also announced grants under the Local Government Illegal Dumping Hotspot Grants Program.
A total of 32 councils were successful in applying for $1.35 million in grant funding under this scheme:
- South Burnett Regional Council will receive $14,300 to gather data on illegal dumping to establish a baseline data set to support the development of litter and illegal dumping intervention strategies and actions.
- North Burnett Regional Council will receive $10,985 to map baseline data and install signs to support community engagement and awareness raising and conducting increased surveillance and compliance activities.
- Toowoomba Regional Council will receive $60,000 to target illegal dumping hotspots through increased surveillance and compliance activities; conduct a targeted advertising campaign, community engagement, clean-up activities and install signs.
Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said illegal dumping had a serious impact on communities.
“The Palaszczuk Government is currently fighting a war on waste, and we are ensuring that councils have the support they need to tackle this issue, to protect the environment and create local jobs,” she said.
The scheme follow a successful pilot project in the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Townsville and Gold Coast council areas.
“We have seen the success of the local government pilot partnership program, where we have already helped four councils increase jobs to combat illegal dumping,” Minister Enoch said.
