No excuse for illegally burning waste in reserve
Issued: 5 Apr 2024
Two men have been fined more than $4,000 for unlawfully disposing of waste and then setting it on fire in the Pinnacles Reserve near Townsville.
A member of the public observed the men burning the discarded casings of copper wire on an access road near the Gromac Quarry in late 2023.
The person reported the incident to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI).
The alleged offenders were identified during a collaborative investigation between DESI and the Queensland Police Service.
Following the investigation, the men were each issued with a $619 fine for the dangerous littering offence, and a $1,548 fine for failing to clean up the area as directed by DESI.
Senior Conservation Officer Craig Dunk said the unlawful disposal of waste was deemed to be dangerous as the discarded wire casing was set alight near dry, tall grass.
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous littering offences, and the community does not tolerate it either,” Mr Dunk said.
“There was a very real possibility that a large-scale grass fire could have ignited, and the offence demonstrated a total disregard for the reserve and surrounding area.
“DESI believes the waste was dumped and burned to avoid a fee at the tip, and these environmentally destructive and dangerous burning incidents are completely avoidable.
“Burning the casings produced hazardous smoke and released harmful gases and the residue that was left behind caused localised pollution.
“The unlawful dumping of waste can cause long-term pollution of surface and groundwater and land contamination.
“The way we treat our environment and how we dispose of waste is vital for our future, and these fines are a warning to people that they will be caught if they unlawfully dump waste.”
Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Linard recently announced the government will provide $2.7 million in funding for 30 local councils (including Townsville) to aid in the fight against illegal dumping.
The funding allows councils to employ dedicated illegal dumping compliance officers to identify those illegally dumping in their communities and proactively look at ways to prevent illegal dumping from happening.
The public can report the suspected unlawful dumping of waste by emailing illegaldumping@des.qld.gov.au of by contacting the Townsville City Council.