January 23

Published by Panetary Health Initiative on 23/01/202223/01/2022

I am so disappointed when I see rubbish dumped in the bush. I’d be even more disappointed if I did nothing about it.

Almost every day I walk through the native upper section of the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens in Blackheath, and then back along Ridgewell Rd. I love it just so much, even after the fire.

I can’t bear to think this space, that I treasure so much, is just seen as a dumping ground to some people. For the last week or so there’s been a screen dumped on the side of the road, so today, when I finally had a little bit of spare time, we drove there and picked it up. It could fit easily into our bin, so I can’t imagine why someone felt the need to dump it in the bush, however we’re going to drop it off to be recycled. You can drop TVs off for free recycling at the Katoomba or Blaxland Resource Recovery and waste management facility. Check out the video here

A lot of people also dump asbestos and other toxic substances which I would never touch. Fortunately, Blue Mountains City Council has a fabulous and dedicated team, who care just as much about our bush as we do, and who are trained to pick it up safely.

If you encounter illegal dumping, you can report it using the NSW EPA hotline 131 555 or via the EPA’s online reporting service RIDonline at ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au. 

Check out this video to learn more:

When reporting illegal dumping incidents please provide as much detail as possible, including the:

• Location of the illegally dumped material.
• Is the material blocking a road, driveway or private property?
• Is the material on public or private property?
• Description of the material.
• Date that you first noticed the material.
• Information about the dumper (e.g. name, licence plate number, description of dumper or vehicle).

It is important to provide as much information as possible to ensure the RID Squad have sufficient information to determine if there is an environmental or health risk.

You can learn more about hazardous waste on Council’s website.

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