The Hunter Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Program 2022-27 is funded by the NSW EPA over five years to coordinate a co-funded program with 11 member councils in the Hunter/ Central Coast region. Currently, there are two similar programs in NSW, in Western Sydney and the Illawarra Shoalhaven region in southern NSW.
The objectives of the project are to:
- Work collaboratively to improve prevention, enforcement, monitoring and reporting of illegal dumping activity in our region
- Build Councils’ capacity to develop and deliver illegal dumping operations for prevention and enforcement, monitoring and reporting activities
- Raise community awareness of the impacts of illegal dumping and the Regional Illegal Dumping Program
A senior representative from each council sits on the Program Management Committee to decide strategic directions, budget and an annual action plan. Member councils receive additional funding to support their own RID officers and activities within their local government area.
The program will focus on priority actions each year, including:
- Specialist training courses covering legislative/regulatory frameworks
- Use of RIDOnline for data entry of illegal dumping incidents and investigations
- Best practice surveillance and monitoring technology, and equipment
- Community education campaigns and raising awareness of illegal dumping across the region.
Major benefits that flow from programs include an emphasis upon collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge, resources and experience in tackling illegal dumping of household waste in residential and bushland settings. More consistent use of the data collection platform (RIDOnline) will also provide better data to analyse this statewide problem.
