A Springvale South nature strip became a dumping zone during the City of Greater Dandenong’s hard waste collection.By Nathan Johnston
A CITY of Greater Dandenong councillor suspects residents of neighbouring municipalities have taken advantage of hard waste collection delays, and added their rubbish to the growing piles in local streets.
Councillor Peter Brown said he has received a number of complaints from residents about the increase in rubbish on streets throughout Greater Dandenong.
“I would not be surprised if people from other municipalities are taking advantage of the City of Greater Dandenong rubbish tip and dumping their load before they get to the tips in Clayton,” he said.
“Last year the hard rubbish collection was bad, this year it is unbelievable.
“We have turned, with our best intentions to serve the public, our area into a dump.”
Cr Brown said the worst areas were Coomoora Road in Springvale South, the corner of Heatherton and Springvale roads in Springvale South and Putt Grove in Keysborough.
He said a Putt Grove resident reported that 12 mattresses had been dumped on his nature strip, and that he couldn’t see oncoming traffic when he was pulling out of his driveway.
“The cost of tipping a mattress is approximately $20, so I would guess that the volume of rubbish some people are dumping in the street would equate to maybe half their rate bill or more.
“At the block of flats on Heatherton Road near the Waltzing Matilda Hotel, the pile of rubbish is so immense it is spilling on to the road and blocking the footpath.”
The council’s director of engineering services, Tim Tamlin, said the council had hired extra trucks and extra staff to clean up what he expected to be Greater Dandenong’s biggest hard waste collection.
“We’re still not catching up, but it’s not getting away from us any more.”
He said Heatherton Road had been cleaned yesterday (Wednesday), but there was still plenty of work to do.
“Other municipalities are having similar issues, and we will be looking at different methods next year to ensure the residents get the service they deserve,” Mr Tamlin said.
He said residents were asked to leave out only enough rubbish to fill a 6ft x 4ft trailer, but these suggestions had not been followed.
Cr Brown said he would push for the return of a voucher system that he said worked successfully at the former City of Springvale before amalgamations.
“Each residential address was provided with a tipping voucher when they were sent their rate notices and which they could redeem at any time during the year when they took the rubbish to the tip.
“I think the time has come for this effective alternative,” Cr Brown said.
But Cr Roz Blades said residents without cars would be disadvantaged.
“Tip costs are very expensive, and not everyone has a car, let alone a tow bar and trailer.”
Councillors Kevin Walsh and Naim Melhem added their concerns about the matter at Monday’s council meeting.
“I’d like to express my frustrations with the hard rubbish collection. The sooner we get it sorted out the better,” Cr Walsh said.
