No excuses for dumping tyres

ACCORDING to environmental authorities, too many people like to illegally dump tyres on public land in Victoria. 

More than 2700 vehicle tyres were found on land such as forests and parks last year, and The Conservation Regulator and Parks Victoria noted at least 60 different dumping incidents in 2023. 

Yet the Environmental Protection Authority estimated that number didn’t even come close to how many times it was occurring.  

A spokesperson from the EPA said the authority’s main concern was fire and pollution risks.  

Parks Victoria senior manager for enforcement and regulatory services Mark Breguet said dealing with discarded tyres takes away from other work the organisation could be doing. 

“As well as being unsightly, illegally dumped tyres harm the environment and pose a serious health risk to park visitors and the environment,” he said. 

“Removing tyres diverts our rangers’ time away from managing and improving the State’s parks and reserves.  

“This impacts the maintenance of facilities and the implementation of conservation programs that protect native plants, animals, and historical and cultural sites.” 

Storing more than five square metres of tyres at a property legally requires permission from the EPA. 

Locations to dispose of old tyres in the Greater Bendigo region include Eaglehawk Landfill and Heathcote Transfer Station. 

“Our state forests are not a rubbish tip, and anyone caught treating them like one will be penalised,” said Conservation Regulator Victoria director of regulatory operations David McIlroy.