Illegal dumping in Queensland
Key Finding
Illegal dumping is defined in Queensland as the unlawful depositing of 200 litres or more of waste.
The full extent of illegal dumping in Queensland is unclear as there is no comprehensive reporting system for illegal dumping across the state. While some financial and weight-based data is currently provided by councils for the State of Waste and Recycling in Queensland Report, this only relates to councils’ own efforts and costs to manage illegal dumping and does not reflect the cost or extent of illegal dumping across the wider community.
Illegal dumping has significant impacts on health, aesthetics and environmental values, including harm to wildlife and facilitating the spread of pests and weeds. Collecting and properly disposing of illegally dumped material also imposes substantial costs, particularly on local governments.
