Local councils are receiving funding for specialist officers to bolster efforts against illegal dumping.
The Queensland Government is investing $13.7 million state-wide in the Fighting Illegal Dumping Partnership Program, with $270,000 allocated to Sunshine Coast Council and $295,000 to Noosa Council.
The Sunshine Coast Council funding is for an illegal dumping officer for three years to investigate offenders, identify dumping hotspots and install and use monitoring equipment to enforce compliance.
The Noosa Council funding is also for an officer for three years, to monitor surveillance equipment, investigate illegal dumping in remote locations and conduct night-time patrols in hotspot area
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said state-wide funding would strengthen councils’ ability to catch illegal dumpers and hold them accountable.
“Illegal dumping is environmental vandalism that harms local communities, damages the environment and leaves ratepayers footing the bill,” he said.
“Councils lead the fight against illegal dumping in their communities, and the Crisafulli Government is backing 52 councils with the resources they need to catch offenders and hold them accountable.
“A key focus of this funding is the rollout of targeted night-time surveillance in known dumping hotspots, helping councils detect offenders who operate under the cover of darkness and gather the evidence needed to prosecute them.
“The message is clear: if you illegally dump waste in Queensland, there is a greater chance you will be caught, investigated and held accountable.”
Councils cleaned up more than 13,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste last year.
In February, Sunshine Coast Council told Sunshine Coast News that it had received and investigated more than 6100 community reports of illegal dumping during the past three years, while Noosa Council said there were 691 incidents in 2025, which was 120 more than the previous year.
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