Dumped rubbish refers to waste that has been illegally disposed of, typically by being dumped in an undesignated area such as a park, road, or bushland. This type of waste can range from household and building waste to hazardous chemicals and materials.
Dumped rubbish is a major environmental problem in the Northern Territory. As illegal dumping is purposefully done in less densely populated areas, there is not enough data to reveal the true prevalence of illegal dumping in the Northern Territory. In urban areas, illegal dumping is common in nature strips, parks, and adjacent to mines.
Due to the large areas in the Northern Territory with a low population, illegal dumping is of great concern as it can contaminate soil and water resources along with being an eyesore.
In the Northern Territory, you can report dumping incidents to either the NT Environment Protection Authority or the local council. The NT EPA can penalise individuals with a $119 on-the-spot fine, or a $656 fine for businesses.
Dumping that is seen as not having significant environmental damage can result in fines of $11,473 for individuals and $57,365 for corporations, while serious environmental harm can result in either a $573,650 or $2.8 million charge respectively.
If you see illegal dumping, it is important to clean it up as soon as possible to limit its effect on the environment.
You can report dumped rubbish in the Northern Territory by calling the local council or using the Snap Send Solve app. The app allows you to quickly report dumped rubbish by taking a photo and submitting it to the relevant authorities for cleanup.