PEOPLE are being urged to take number plates and track details of people dumping rubbish on the Mornington Peninsula as dumping rates soar. Rubbish dumping continues to be a major issue on the peninsula, with Snap Send Solve data showing there are up to three times the number of complaints from peninsula residents compared to some other parts of Victoria.
Dumping, along with fallen trees and car parking issues, are among the top five recurring complaints on the peninsula.
In the south metro region, which includes Mornington Peninsula, there were 320 per cent more complaints about rubbish in 2022 than in eastern metropolitan areas, and 188 per cent more complaints about parking and car issues.
Snap Send Solve founder Danny Gorog says rubbish dumping on the peninsula could be related to the rural spaces and ability to dump discreetly. “Yes, there could be something in that, people complain about tip fees, but many are basically lazy,” he said.
IT expert Gorog created the Snap Send Solve App after trying to complain about broken playgroup equipment in St Kilda. “I was at a playground with my young daughter and the swing was broken, it wasn’t easy trying to get it fixed,” he said.
Illegal dumping is becoming more of a problem across Melbourne, with 25 per cent more rubbish being dumped in some suburbs according to the App. While rubbish can be reported directly to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council or Snap Send Solve, it can also be reported to the Environmental Protection Agency on 1300 372 842.
The EPA says illegal waste disposal is a crime that impacts the health of the community and threatens natural ecosystem. Clearing dumped waste costs Victorians around $30 million a year. Landowners are responsible for preventing uncontrolled access to land where waste can be dumped. This may include fencing or taking other precautions. If land is leased to tenants, land owners may also be liable for contaminated material left on the property. This can apply even if you did not put it there.
First published in the Mornington News – 30th April 2024
