Some people just never grow up.
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Photos taken recently at Brogo Dam show piles of trash disgracefully left behind by thoughtless and irresponsible campers.
Not only had these immature individuals abandoned litter and broken camp equipment, they had even turned a wombat burrow into a makeshift toilet!
So this pristine gem of the Bega Valley, a fantastic spot for fishing or just enjoying nature, was turned into a dumping ground by immature individuals. It was also disgusting as the dam supplies drinking water to Bermagui, Cobargo and Quaama.
Who do these people think will clean up after them? Who magically appears to take away their trash? Even children know to put their rubbish in the bin.
The NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states illegal dumping can cause harm to human health, contaminate the environment and soil, poison plants and animals, smother native vegetation, introduce weeds into sensitive bushland, pollute waterways and create a fire risk. It also costs millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money each year to clean up.
A 2015 report by the agency found illegal dumping had become more of an issue in recent times, with most local government authorities dealing with up to 100 illegal dumping incidents each year.
The most common form of dumping was leaving household waste on the kerbside. While there was no particular characteristic of those who did so, the most common demographics of those who left waste illegally in places aside from the kerbside were young people, males and those in full-time employment.
Surveys taken during the research found illegal dumping was more prevalent among people who viewed it as a social norm, there was low awareness of the penalties that applied if caught, and concern for the environmental impacts of dumping was fairly low.
Future illegal dumpers should be aware of the fines attached to their behaviour. On-the-spot fines for individuals can reach up to $7500, or $15,000 for corporations.
If you want to report illegal dumping in national or parks, state parks, historic sites, nature reserves, vacant Crown land and state forests, contact the EPA on 131 555 or info@environment.nsw.gov.au. You can also report online at ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au.
If there is an emergency, such as a large chemical spill, call 000.