ILLEGAL dumpers in Sutherland Shire will soon be targeted by a crack team of undercover investigators.
Sutherland Shire Council had decided to join the new Sydney Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad program, a flying squad that investigates illegal dumping and pollution.
The council will commit $70,000 a year for a two-year trial period with $20,000 to come from the waste and resource recovery levy, and $50,000 from private waste operator SITA under a voluntary agreement to extend its use of the Lucas Heights waste centre for another 12 years.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates NSW councils spend $10 million each year responding to illegal dumping and landfilling.
To tackle the problem, the EPA created two RID squads to enforce breaches of waste regulations in the construction and demolition sector.
The Western Sydney RID Squad has been operating for 15 years and has seven member councils.
Following their success, the Inner West RID Squad was formed last year to investigate illegal dumping and take action against offenders.
They track down illegal landfills, identify trends in illegal dumping across a regional area and educate the community about illegal dumping.
By joining, Sutherland Shire Council will fund an officer to investigate all forms of illegal dumping in its local government area.
The RID Squad also works as a team and can bring all its officers into a local government area to focus on specific illegal dumping and target serial or repeat offenders.
They work weekends and at night to target illegal dumping using a range of methods including covert surveillance and cameras.
The new Sydney RID Squad is expected to include Sutherland, Waverley, Randwick, Botany Bay, Hurstville and Rockdale councils.
They will form an alliance with the current Inner West RID Squad members Bankstown, Canterbury, Auburn, Strathfield, Ashfield and Canada Bay councils to form the Sydney RID Squad.
'Someone must know who did this'
ILLEGAL dumpers have thrown everything at Fernleigh Road, Caringbah, in recent weeks including the kitchen sink. (See photo above)
The quiet, leafy street with its water views on one side and a reserve on the other has become the preferred spot for a makeshift tip for industrial and building waste.
A resident sent pictures to the Leader — including the one above — of the latest outrage.
The pile of building material was dumped in the middle of the street late on Wednesday night last week.
‘‘This has happened three times in six weeks, all in the same street, all on to the roadway,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s obviously someone who is doing a bathroom renovation. There is a toilet, metal bathtub, bricks and concrete and a motley brown carpet and underlay.
‘‘This first happened six weeks ago and again about three weeks ago.
‘‘This time they have dumped it right on a bend in the middle of the road in the driveway leading up to the Scouts hall.
‘‘I don’t know why they choose our street. Perhaps because one side is parkland and they think no-one will see them.
‘‘Somebody must know who did it.’’
Do you think the RID Squad will help reduce illegal dumping in the shire?