The NSW Government is encouraging councils, public land managers and community groups to apply for grants to tackle illegal dumping in their local area.

The grants are a part of the NSW Combating Illegal Dumping Clean-up and Prevention program which has awarded $6.7 million to projects to combat illegal dumping since the program commenced.

Executive Director, Circular Economy & Resource Management, Sanjay Sridher said illegally dumped waste can harm our health, pollute the environment, and cost millions of dollars in taxpayers money each year to clean up.

“We want to see as many applicants as possible apply for funding, with previous grants being put to great use to tackle local dumping hotspots,” Mr Sridher said.

“This has included the installation of gates, signs, surveillance cameras and fencing to tackle illegal dumping along with the removal of thousands of tonnes of illegally dumped waste.

“I encourage any councils, public land managers or community groups that want to tackle an illegal dumping problem in their area to visit the website and apply for one of these grants.

“The grant program is funded under the Waste Less Recycle More initiative, administered by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry an Environment.”

The grants can be used by councils, public land managers and community groups to implement prevention and clean-up action on publicly managed land or to establish illegal dumping baseline data.

Applications for grants will close on the 17th July 2020.

Applicants are able to apply for funding under three streams:

• Option 1
  $50,000 – $120,000 for councils and public land managers to carry out illegal dumping clean-up and prevention projects.
• Option 2        
  Up to $20,000 for councils and public land managers to establish illegal dumping baseline data.
• Option 3
  Up to $50,000 for illegal dumping clean-up and prevention community partnerships.

More information about the NSW Combating Illegal Dumping Clean-up and Prevention program is available at www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/grants/illegal-dumping/illegal-dumping-clean-prevention