A man allegedly illegally dumping in a state forest has been fined by Narrabri Shire Council.
The process of identifying the alleged dumper follows a collaboration between the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Forestry Corporation of NSW and local council, the EPA said in a statement.
The man has been fined $4000 and the waste has since been cleared after the EPA issued him a clean-up notice.
The alleged incident occurred in Etoo State Forest, just outside of Pilliga village, in August 2020.
EPA director regulatory west operations, Stephen Budgen, said the alleged act was caught by a surveillance camera which has been installed by Forestry Corporation.
The body had also set up signage, advising visitors of the cameras.
“Photos of the alleged dumping incident were also captured by a surveillance camera, which ultimately led to the individual receiving a ‘show cause’ letter shortly after the incident,” Mr Budgen said.
“The alleged waste dumped included a mattress, a sofa frame and a large barrel of household waste.”
Mr Budgen said the ongoing surveillance of the area, as well as communication between EPA, Forestry Corporation and Narrabri Shire Council, was beneficial for both the local community and environment.
“Coordination between agencies means our state forests are very well monitored and protected,” Mr Budgen said.
“Keeping our forests clean is a priority and anyone considering dumping waste illegally is at significant risk of getting caught.”
Penalty notices are just one of a number of tools that regulatory agencies can use to achieve environmental compliance, Mr Budgen said.
“Formal warnings, official cautions, licence conditions, notices and directions, and even prosecutions may also be issued to those engaging in illegal dumping.
“In this instance, Narrabri Shire Council declared a penalty notice to be the most suitable fit.
“Recipients of such notices may pay the penalty, seek a review, or elect to have the matter determined by a court.”
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