Report dumped rubbish and litter
It's illegal to litter.
People who litter can face an on-the-spot fine upwards of $300, or thousands of dollars if the case goes to court.
Report dumped rubbish or litter
You can report dumped rubbish or litter in the following ways:
If you report dumped rubbish or litter, you become a witness to an offence and you may need to provide evidence in court. Only report dumped rubbish if you're willing to appear in court.
What is considered to be litter?
Litter is any waste product that has been left lying in an open or public space.
Waste products include:
- paper
- vegetable matter
- cigarettes and butts
- rubbish
- clothes
- hard waste.
Types of littering
Types of littering include:
- throwing or dropping litter from a vehicle
- leaving an overfilled bin out for collection
- leaving shopping trolleys abandoned
- placing flyers, leaflets or brochures on vehicles
- placing advertising material in a letterbox with a ‘no junk mail’ or ‘no advertising’ sign
- displaying advertising material on buildings, street furniture, roadside and railway infrastructure without the owner’s permission
- leaving litter on private property
- abandoning or leaving an unregistered vehicle on a road or other public land.
Litter thrown from vehicles
If you see someone throwing litter from a vehicle, please take note of the:
- number plate
- make, model and colour of vehicle
- date, time and place the litter was thrown
- type of litter that was thrown.
If it happened in the City of Whittlesea, please call 03 9217 2170, so we can investigate.
If it happened outside the City of Whittlesea, please make a litter report to the Victorian Environment Protection Agency (EPA) online.
Further information about reporting littering from vehicles can be found on the EPA website.
Overfilled bins
It's against the law to put overfilled bins out for kerbside collection as it can result in litter on the streets. The lid on every bin must be able to completely close.
You can report an overfilled bin in the following ways:
Abandoned shopping trolleys
You must not leave shopping trolleys on roads, footpaths, nature strips, in parks, private property or vacant land. Anyone who leaves a trolley on Council land can be fined.
You should return your shopping trolley to the supermarket collection area to minimise damage to cars and ensure that a trolley will be available next time you go shopping.
Our local laws officers impound all abandoned shopping trolleys and charge supermarkets a return fee.
Businesses are encouraged to collect shopping trolleys that are left out.
You can report an abandoned shopping trolley in the following ways:
Alternatively, you can use the Trolley Tracker website or phone 1800 641 497.