EVER get annoyed by litter and illegal dumping in the area? You now have the chance to put your views across as the region's waste recovery group seeks people's views.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Grampians Central West Waste and Resource Recovery Group has launched a survey to gather community views as they put together a new regional plan to tackle litter.
Several areas around Ballarat have historically been badly affected by the problem. Last year, Parks Victoria joined forces with the City of Ballarat Council to try and cut the amount of waste being dumped at Woowookarung Regional Park.
Jeffrey Rootes of the community group Friends of Canadian Corridor said the area used to was almost "a traditional dumping ground" in its old guise as Canadian Forest.
While he said things were improving with Parks Victoria regularly clearing up rubbish, the area was still being used by people to get rid of unwanted things.
"As the community uses the park more and the message gets out there, we are hoping the rubbish will reduce," he said.
As the community uses the park more and the message gets out there, we are hoping the rubbish will reduce.
- Jeffrey Rootes, Friends of Canadian Corridor
He said he hoped the survey and the new strategy would be a chance to work out how to cut waste.
"As a community we have got to think a lot more about packaging and lifestyle recycling."
He used the example of a dumped mattress that had lain in the area for several weeks, saying he would like manufacturers to take more responsibility for its disposal when it reached the end of its lifecycle.
"Fines and barking at people do not solve the problem," he said.
Waste from housing construction was also a concern in the area he said, saying that local Grasstree Creek was full of rubbish from a nearby development.
"We really need better enforcement of building sites," he said.
La Vergne Lehmann, an executive officer at Grampians Central West Waste and Resource Recovery Group, said a range of areas had been identified where the issue was particularly commonplace.
These include the Western Highway, wayside stops, parks and recreation areas as well as bushland.
She said the survey aimed to give a say to community and community groups about how to tackle the problem of litter and illegal dumping in the region.
Last May the state government said it would contribute $9.1 million to the EPA's Illegal Dumping Strikeforce.
The organisation focuses on construction and demolition waste, the stockpiling of waste tyres as well as illegal dumping by skip bin operators.
- To participate in the survey, go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/regionallitterplan.
- More information on the proposed litter plan can be seen here: www.recyclingrevolution.vic.gov.au/regionallitterplan
- Illegally dumped rubbish can also be reported to an Environment Protection Authority hotline on 1300 EPA VIC, or 1300 372 842.