Illegal Dumping

• Dumped rubbish can leach contaminates into our bushland, harming our plants and animals and blighting our landscape.¹
• Australian Authorities report that the level of illegal dumping has remained constant over the last five years.²
• In Australia, furniture, packaging and organic waste are amongst the most common types of illegally dumped rubbish.²
• Illegal Dumping costs ratepayers thousands of dollars per year. In 2005 it was revealed that residents of Gold Coast City Council paid a $1.5 million clean-up bill, including costs of cleaning up illegal dumping.³
• If an individual is found guilty of illegal dumping in court, they can face 7 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.²
• When it rains, illegally dumped rubbish can impact proper drainage of run-off, making areas more susceptible to flooding when wastes block ravines, creeks, culverts and drainage basins.4
• It is estimated that more than 11,000 tonnes of waste are illegally dumped each year in Western Sydney alone.5
• The annual number of incidents of illegal dumping is significantly higher in urban than rural councils.5

Miscellaneous Litter

• Fast food litter has increased by 50% in the last three years.¹
• The amount of litter dropped yearly in the UK has increased by 500% since the 1960s.¹
• In 2005, paper and cardboard items accounted for 15% of the total rubbish collected on Clean Up Australia Day.²
• Through the paper production process in 2002-03 approximately 290,000 tonnes of paper was disposed of to landfill.³

Waste Product Decomposition Times

Degradability depends on climate and circumstances, but under unfavourable conditions estimated time spans can be as long as:-

Waste Product	Decomposition Time
Banana Skin	3 - 4 weeks
Paper Bag	1 month
Cardboard	2 months
Wool Sock	1 year
Orange Peel	Up to 2 years
Cigarette Butts	Up to 12 years
Plastic Bags *	Up to 20 years
Polyfilm wrapping (clingwrap) *	25 years
Leather Shoe	Up to 45 years
Tin Cans	50 years
Plastic Bottle *	450 years
Plastic 6-pack Holder *	500 years
Disposable Nappies	550 years
Polystyrene Cups	> 500 years
Aluminium Cans	> 1 million years / Forever?
Glass	1 - 2 million years

* Even though these products break down in the times indicated they are still petrochemical products and will always remain in the environment.

Download Waste Decomposition Times A3 format
(.pdf 167kb)

Download Waste Decomposition Times A4 format
(.pdf 132kb)