What is illegal dumping?

Illegal dumping is the unlawful disposal of 200 litres or more of any type of waste in dedicated areas including:

• Household rubbish and goods (eg fridges, freezes, TVs, furniture, mattresses)
• Hazardous waste
• Garden waste
• Construction waste
• Fishing line and equipment
• Car bodies, motorbikes or bicycles
• Boats and motors
• Tyres, chemical drums and paint tins
• Asbestos and timber products.

What is littering?

Littering is the unlawful disposal of any type of domestic or commercial waste material less than 200 litres in volume.

Common littering items include:

• Cigarette butts, drink bottles and fast food packaging being thrown out of a vehicle, boat or incorrectly disposed of
• Material falling off a ute, trailer or truck due to being uncovered or poorly secured
• Grass clippings swept into a footpath
• Household goods left on the footpath
• Dangerous littering - eg throwing a lit cigarette butt into bushland, leaving a hypodermic needle in a park, smashing a glass bottle on the footpath.

Please do not dump your rubbish:

• On the side of the road
• In bushland
• In our waterways
• At the beach
• In our parks
• In council reserves
• In any public spaces
• On private land without authorisation.

Littered or dumped waste has many negative environmental, social and economic impacts, including:

• The pollution of waterways
• Death of animals through ingesting or entrapment
• Health risks
• Attraction of vermin
• Reduction of the aesthetic appeal of public places 
• Cleaning and disposal costs for the community
• Blockage of drains
• Damage to flora and fauna.

Dob in a Dumper!

If you see someone littering or illegal dumping from a vehicle, vessel or trailer, or if you find piles of dumped waste, you can report it to Council.

The kind of information Council will need to know includes:

• Address and exact location of illegal dumping. Give landmark details such as left of the gate, under the large gum tree etc.
• Types of dumped materials, and whether you believe it constitutes a hazard
• Date and time of dumping
• Name and address of person(s) responsible. (if known)
• Vehicle details e.g. colour, make and registration number(s) (if known)
• Photographs of the incident (this may assist the prosecution).

Residents who notice littering and illegal dumping offences are encouraged to phone Council on (07) 4970 0700 or email info@gladstone.qld.gov.au.

You can also report illegal dumping to the Queensland Government by completing their on online form.

What happens next?

Council will investigate your report and may issue a penalty infringement notice based on the investigation of the details supplied.

Council officers may contact you to confirm the details and obtain a witness statement for the report. 

For illegal dumping reports please do not disturb the site where the incident occurred as the site may contain hazardous materials and disturbance of the site can hinder evidence collection.

Use of waste bins and facilities provided

There is no excuse for littering.  The majority of general household waste can be removed via Council's supplied green or red lid wheelie bins or yellow lid bins for recyclable items.

There are dedicated waste disposal services available throughout the Gladstone Region including Waste Transfer Station and Landfill Facilities. Refer to Waste Fees and Charges for domestic and commercial waste disposal.