FLAMMABLE liquids, oils, petrol, sharps and biological items are among the items that have been dumped along roadsides in Bathurst.
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In two separate incidents, items were left strewn – the first along Hen and Chicken Lane south-west of Bathurst, and then in a camp site on the Bridle Track tourist trail.
The Western Advocate was alerted to both incidents by concerned residents.
A man who lives on Hen and Chicken Lane, who asked for his name to be withheld, said the items were left overnight on Friday.
“It looks like someone’s cleaned out their shed and chucked it all out, cupboards and all,” he said.
Among the items left along the road were flammable liquids and paint, motor oil, petrol, sharps, bike chain, a bumper bar, chainsaw, whipper snipper, spirit level, tools, light bulbs and a gas heater.
“We often get ute loads of stuff dumped every few months,” the resident said.
Then on Monday, Andrew Knight was on a trip along the Bridle Track when he noticed a pile of rubbish left dumped at the second camp site.
“The whole place was empty except for a 44-gallon drum, chairs, beer boxes and general camping waste,” he said.
Like the resident on Hen and Chicken Lane, Mr Knight said this was not the first time he has come across dumped rubbish.
It looks like someone’s cleaned out their shed and chucked it all out, cupboards and all.
- Hen and Chicken Lane resident
“I go up the Bridle Track every month or so to have a swim and there’s always rubbish up there,” he said.
“If they brought it up there surely they could take it with them. It’s pretty aggravating.”
Bathurst Regional Council corporate services manager Bob Roach said council staff are regularly sent to the Bridle Track to collect dumped rubbish.
“We have weekly visits by council staff to clean up rubbish,” he said.
Mr Roach said staff will clean up the dumped rubbish and also try to discover who dumped it.
“It’s a very serious offence and council is very proud of the area we have here in Bathurst and if we can find the culprits we’ll prosecute,” he said.
Mr Roach said prosecutions are made under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and fines can be up to $500 for an individuals or $8000 for commercial operations.
He urged ratepayers to use the free tip vouchers provided by council each year rather than dumping their unwanted items.
- Is there rubbish dumped that we should know about? Email nadine.morton@fairfaxmedia.com.au