Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria has welcomed the State Government’s new Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program.
The $8.5 million scheme provides financial support to local government authorities and other land managers for clean-up activities of illegally dumped waste – waste which is dumped, abandoned or buried at a site that is not an authorised location.
Illegally dumped waste has proven to be a significant issue across Victoria’s bushland, vacant lots, roadsides and waterways.
The Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program will be administered by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, as part of the Victorian Government’s larger $21.5 million crackdown on the problem.
It will provide rebates to the following organisations responsible for the maintenance of public lands:
- Crown land Committees of Management
- Parks Victoria
- Department of Transport and Planning (VicRoads and VicTrack)
EPA Chief Executive Officer Joss Crawford has been a vocal advocate for this plan.
“Separately, EPA and the Conservation Regulator will spearhead an illegal waste dumping taskforce investigating dumping and holding those responsible to account,” she said.
“Whether they’re being lazy, deliberately avoiding the legitimate cost of legal disposal or dumping for profit, they’re shifting the cost onto the community who are not responsible and who should not be left with a bill for the cleanup.”
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