<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Plenty of Australians have tossed unwanted items on what they assume is a council clean-up pile, not realising they could be risking fines of up to half a million dollars.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Illegal dumping is an offence in every Australian state and territory, attracting on the spot fines of up to $15,000 and even higher court-imposed penalties.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The most common kind of illegal dumping is household waste and items left on the footpath or kerbside when there's no scheduled council collection.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/celestial-events-australia-2025-lunar-eclipses-meteor-showers-supermoons-explainer/52c025c5-9f35-4801-a209-05e7b15bb94a" target="_blank"><strong><span>Your guide to Australia's skies: The lunar eclipses, meteor showers and celestial events happening in 2025</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Examples include leaving an old nightstand or mattress on the median strip, or dumping green waste that doesn't fit in your green bin in a local nature reserve.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As well as making the street look messy, illegal dumping can negatively impact human health, plants and animals, pollute waterways, and make public places unsafe.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The impacts can be even more severe if the waste being dumped is dangerous, or blocks emergency access.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/illegal-dumping-what-is-it-examples-penalty-fines-state-by-state-explainer/73b9cd81-15a3-42ee-96e1-8a5d29aedc64" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Not to mention that it costs millions of dollars in hard-earned taxpayer cash to clean up every year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So even if you've never dumped waste illegally, you may still be paying for it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As for the Australians who have been guilty of illegal dumping - knowingly or otherwise - here are the state and territory fines you could be risking.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>NSW</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under NSW legislation, it is an offence to deposit more than 50L or 50kg of litter or waste in or on a public place, an open private place, or a 'sensitive place'.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sensitive places include but are not limited to national parts, beaches, and the grounds of childcare centres, hospitals and schools.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fines for individuals are as follows:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>$1000 on the spot fine for small-scale illegal dumping on public land or open private places, $25,000 maximum penalty if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$2500 on the spot fine for small-scale illegal dumping in or on a sensitive place, $50,000 maximum penalty if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$15,000 on the spot fine for larger-scale waste dumping offences, $500,000 maximum penalty with an additional daily penalty of $120,000 for a continuing offence if convicted in court</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If the waste contains asbestos the maximum penalty is double.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If an individual is found guilty of wilful or negligent disposal of waste causing actual or likely harm to the environment, they may face penalties of up to $2 million and seven years in prison.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>ACT</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under ACT legislation, it is an offence to dump or store rubbish in a public place, including on a nature strip.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Penalties for individuals include:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>$1000 fine for basic littering</span></li><li><span>$5000 fine and six months in prison for aggravated littering that could cause injury to a person, animal or public place</span></li><li><span>$200,000 fine and seven years in prison for dumping of illegal substances</span></li><li><span>up to $7500 fine for dumping of concrete in a public place or open private space without occupier consent</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-public-holidays-dates-state-by-state-guide-explainer/ed0b6d3a-0f10-4134-ad08-f3db711978a6" target="_blank"><strong><span>How to maximise public holidays and make the most of your annual leave in 2025</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Victoria</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rubbish dumping on public land is illegal in Victoria, with maximum penalties of up to $800,000 and five years imprisonment for individuals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Based on the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the current penalty unit of $203.51, penalties for individuals are as follows:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>$4070.20 (20 penalty units) for illegally dumping waste</span></li><li><span>$12210.60 (60 penalty units) for illegally dumping waste that is dangerous</span></li><li><span>$20,351 (100 penalty units) for illegally dumping more than 50 litres but less than 1000 litres of waste</span></li><li><span>$48,842.40 (240 penalty units) for illegally dumping more than 1000 litres of waste</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Queensland</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Unlawfully leaving more than 200 litres (about the volume of a wheelie bin) of any type of waste in a public space counts as illegal dumping in Queensland.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under current legislation, fines for individuals can exceed $160,000.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The current penalties for individuals caught illegally dumping waste are as follows:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>$333 for general littering, or up to $5007 if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$677 for dangerous littering, or up to $6676 if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$2670 for illegal dumping of less than 2500 litres of waste, or up to $66,670 if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$3338 for illegal dumping more than 2500L of waste, or up to $166,900 or twice the waste levy that was avoided if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$1669 for failing to comply with a compliance notice, or up to $50,070 if convicted in court</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/breastfeeding-in-public-legal-rights-explained/e0b21c94-f6a2-47a0-947c-3c1f1ada8b74" target="_blank"><strong><span>Breastfeeding in public: What are your legal rights in Australia?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>South Australia</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In South Australia, disposing of waste on public or private land without the appropriate licence, permit or approval counts as illegal dumping.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Penalties can be as high as $500,000 or four years imprisonment for individuals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The current penalties for individuals include:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>up to $60,000 if convicted in court of knowingly allowing waste to be dumped on your property without an appropriate licence</span></li><li><span>up to $120,000 and two years imprisonment if convicted in court of disposing of waste illegally</span></li><li><span>up to $500,000 or four years imprisonment, or both, if convicted in court of dumping waste that causes serious environmental harm</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Western Australia</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Illegal dumping is an offence in WA and can attract maximum penalties of up to $62,500 for individuals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The current penalties for individuals include:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>$500 for minor illegal dumping</span></li><li><span>$2000 if convicted in court</span></li><li><span>$62,500 maximum court penalty for more severe offences</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/strip-searches-music-festivals-rules-in-nsw-explained/600c1c7f-69ed-446e-867d-fb48294d2d6f" target="_blank"><strong><span>A court ruling has changed the way police conduct strip-searches in NSW. Here is what you need to know</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Northern Territory</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Illegal dumping is an environmental crime in the NT, punishable by hefty fines if convicted in court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The current penalties for individuals include:</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><span>$1890 infringement notice for causing an environmental nuisance</span></li><li><span>$14,553 if convicted in court</span></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Tasmania</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under Tasmanian legislation, fines for illegal dumping must not exceed 50 penalty units.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Based on the current $205 value of one penalty unit, the total fine for an individual could be up to $10,250.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Have you got a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter Maddison Leach at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:mleach@nine.com.au" target="_blank" title="mleach@nine.com.au"><strong><em><span>mleach@nine.com.au</span></em></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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