Illegal dumping

2.1Where each state draws the line

EPA Victoria concentrates on hazardous and large-scale illegal disposal, and forwards reports about other dumped waste to councils and other agencies.

2.2What to note down

The agencies ask for much the same details. Combining EPA Victoria’s list with Queensland’s, a useful report has:

• where the waste is, as exactly as you can: an address, the nearest intersection or landmark, or GPS coordinates
• what was dumped, and roughly how much
• when it was dumped, and whether it has happened there before
• anything that could identify who did it, such as a number plate, or the make, model and colour of a vehicle
• photos, if you can take them safely

Queensland adds two cautions: do not approach the person depositing the waste, and do not disturb a dump site, because it may hold hazardous material and disturbing it can spoil the evidence. It also suggests keeping your notes, even if they are on a scrap of paper, in case you are asked to refer to them in court.

You can report to EPA Victoria anonymously, though it then cannot send you updates or contact you for more information.

2.3Fines, as at October 2026

Both states publish tiered penalties: an on-the-spot fine, and a higher maximum if the matter goes to court. A selection for individuals:

Corporations face higher amounts in both states. In NSW, the maximum penalty for larger-scale dumping doubles when the waste contains asbestos, and wilfully disposing of waste in a way that harms or is likely to harm the environment can bring an individual up to $2,000,000, seven years in prison, or both. Victoria’s EPA says there are penalties for not meeting the waste duties, without listing amounts on its dumped waste page.

2.4Free fill that turns out to be waste

Dumping also arrives at the door. The NSW EPA warns that fill offered free or cheaply to property owners can turn out to be contaminated with building and demolition waste, chemicals, heavy metals or asbestos, and that an owner who accepts contaminated waste onto their land can be breaking the law and left with the clean-up bill.

Its campaign sets out four steps, summarised here in order:

1. Check before you start

   Ask your council whether filling is allowed; it may need to approve it. Without approval, the council or the EPA can order the owner or occupier to remove the fill and pay for its proper disposal.

2. Ask questions and keep records

   Get the supplier’s full contact details and ABN, a written report on the fill’s quality and where it came from, and test results if you have doubts. Keep the emails, quotes and invoices.

3. Supervise delivery

   Inspect every load as it arrives, stage the deliveries, ask drivers where the fill came from and note their details and truck registration. Stop accepting fill that contains asbestos, bricks, concrete, wood, glass or plastic, looks an odd colour or smells bad, and keep the property locked when you are away.

4. Understand the risks

   For disposing of fill illegally, the EPA lists penalties of up to a $45,000 on-the-spot fine, $10 million in court fines and 7 years in prison.

If you suspect someone is doing the wrong thing with fill in NSW, the EPA’s number is 131 555.

2.5When the dumper is someone you paid

The NSW EPA includes in its description of illegal dumping the businesses or contractors who are paid to dispose of commercial waste properly and dump it on land instead.

The money is the motive. EPA Victoria says people often dump building rubble, asbestos and contaminated soil so they do not have to pay waste levies, and that operators who dump waste pocket a levy meant to cover its safe processing.

That is why the duty in Box 1 reaches back to you, as the opening of this guide’s home page explains. Box 3 covers the check to make before the skip leaves.