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Littering and dumping unwanted items on public or private land is an offence. Read more about these and how you can report these illegal actions to us below.
Reporting littering or illegal dumping
Littering is the improper disposal of any waste products on land or water, either on purpose or by mistake, and may result in fines between $200 and $2,000. Illegal dumping is when large amounts of unwanted items are left or abandoned on public or private land. This may result in fines, clean up and court costs ranging from $1000 - $62,500 for individuals and up to $125,000 for businesses.Contact MelSafe on 131 247, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to report Illegal Dumping.
You can also report littering to Keep Australia Beautiful or suspicious activity to the Pollution Watch Hotline on 1300 784 782 or [email protected].
Want to be a bin hero? Organise a community cleanup or registering for Keep Australia Beautiful's Adopt-a-Spot program.
Abandoned shopping trolleys
Abandoned trolleys can be reported to their owner:- Big W, Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s: Trolley Tracker website or call 1800 641 497
- Coles: Coles abandoned trolley
- IGA: contact your nearest IGA store.
Challenging a littering or dumping infringement
You can challenge an infringement received for illegal dumping or littering by writing to us via email or post. You can also escalate the matter to a Court.
Our Rangers help keep our community tidy by:
- making sure everyone complies with the Litter Act 1979, and may impose on-the-spot fines for breaches.
- investigating reports of littering on both public and private land, but will only remove material from public land (property owners are responsible for removing dupmed material from private land). The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is the main body responsible for investigating and prosecuting offenders who dump illegally.
Following our investigation, we may issue an infringement to be paid within 28 days (unless you elect to have the matter determined by a Court, in which case you must notify the City of this in writing).
A final demand notice will be given after the 28 days with further costs incurred. If unpaid by the new due date, the infringement will be referred to the Fines Enforcement Registry to pursue the outstanding payment.
You may request a review of a littering or illegal dumping infringement by writing to the City (email or letter). Please include information included on the infringement notice. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may apply for a second review or elect to have the matter determined by a Court.
A final demand notice will be given after the 28 days with further costs incurred. If unpaid by the new due date, the infringement will be referred to the Fines Enforcement Registry to pursue the outstanding payment.
You may request a review of a littering or illegal dumping infringement by writing to the City (email or letter). Please include information included on the infringement notice. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may apply for a second review or elect to have the matter determined by a Court.
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