What is dumped rubbish?

Dumped rubbish is waste or unwanted items that have been discarded on public or private land without permission.

Dumped rubbish is a form of pollution. It can find its way into our waterways and reserves, causing harm to plants and wildlife. Some waste is hazardous to human health, such as asbestos, chemicals and oils. Other things, like tyres, can be a fire risk. 

It's also an eyesore. Dumped rubbish takes away the community’s right to enjoy beautiful, natural and clean spaces as they go about their day-to-day lives. 

Some of the places you might find dumped rubbish include:

illustration of dumped rubbish on a nature strip

Nature strips

Dumped rubbish on road sides

Road sides

Dumped rubbish around parks and waterways

Parks and waterways

Dumped Rubbish around donation bins

Around donation bins

Dumped rubbish on vacant blocks

Vacant blocks

Dumped Rubbish around public bins

Around public litter bins

Some commonly dumped items include: 

  • TVs, appliances and electronics 
  • furniture and mattresses 
  • children’s toys, prams and strollers
  • unwanted household items
  • garden waste and soil 
  • car parts including tyres 
  • chemical waste 
  • cardboard or other packaging 
  • shopping trolleys
  • oils and paints 
  • building materials. 

What happens when someone is caught?

Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and Hume City Council’s General Purpose Local Law No. 1 2023, Council has the authority to issue fines for illegally dumped rubbish on Council land.

Any person caught dumping rubbish on Council land could be fined or prosecuted in court. Fines start at $385 and can reach tens of thousands of dollars. Offenders will be directed to remove and correctly dispose of the items they dumped or risk further fines.

What to do if you find dumped rubbish

If you find dumped rubbish, here’s how you can report it to us:

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