Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury, has announced that the ACT Government is stepping up monitoring at recycling drop-off centres around the ACT in a bid to reduce costly illegal dumping of waste at these facilities, with upgrades to existing closed circuit television (CCTV).
“Recycling drop-off centres allow residents to dispose of excess recyclable material (principally glass, plastic and cardboard) that does not fit in their yellow-lid recycling bins,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“Unfortunately we are increasingly finding other items such as general waste, white goods, clothes and sometimes even builder’s rubble. This costs the ACT Government, and therefore ratepayers, time and money.
“These facilities offer a valuable service to residents and help us continue our excellent recycling habits. The upgraded CCTV equipment will enable improved monitoring of the sites, better servicing and better quality evidence to support prosecutions and fines.
Upgrades will take place at the following facilities:
- Jolly Street, Belconnen
- Baillieu Street, Mitchell
- Botany Street, Phillip
- Scollay Street, Tuggeranong
Illegal dumping hampers efforts by the public to recycle and costs ratepayers a significant amount of money in additional servicing and cleaning costs. If recyclable material is contaminated with non-recyclable material, the entire load often has to be disposed of at the landfill.
“Drop-off centres are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and have the capacity to accommodate paper and cardboard in large purpose-built cages. They also have hoppers for glass jars and bottles, rigid plastic containers, milk and juice cartons, and aluminium and steel cans, including aerosols. Polystyrene is considered a contaminant and must not be left in boxes. To avoid problems with servicing the facilities, customers should place all material in the receptacles.”
The $320,000 upgrades to the CCTV equipment commence next week and are expected to be completed by the end of the month. There will be closures and temporary traffic management plans while work takes place. For details on arrangements at each site please visit www.tams.act.gov.au/recycling-waste
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