Seventeen Rangers and Compliance Officers from six councils in the Hunter region recently attended a two-day workshop on the Protection of the Environment Operations (POEO) Act 1997 held at Maitland Town Hall.

The capacity building event was part of the Hunter Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Program. Participants learned about the history and basic structure of environmental legislation in NSW, and the powers that Authorised Officers can use to promote adherence to the law in their communities. During the training, a series of amendments came into effect significantly increasing the penalties for these waste offences.

A second round of training will be conducted in August 2024, given high demand from member councils in the program.