How to Remove Illegally Dumped Waste on Your Vacant Western Sydney Lot
You’ve purchased a vacant block of land for your new dream home. The planning and paperwork is out of the way. Now it’s time to start building.
There’s just one problem…
Someone has covered your block of land in dirt, debris and hard waste.
This frustrating scenario is being played out across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains as excited land owners stop by to check out their vacant lot, or give the green light for building to start, only to find out no work can be done because there’s illegally dumped waste in the way.
More than a one-off problem, the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recommended lot owners stay alert for illegal dumping on their property, with illegal dumpers targeting vacant properties.
As a landowner you can’t be everywhere at once, but you can find ways to remove any excess rubbish and get your new-home build back on track.
Read on to learn how to protect your investment from illegal waste, and how to find a reliable rubbish removal service that suits your needs and budget.
What is illegally dumped waste?
Illegal dumping is exactly as it sounds – the unlawful disposal of waste instead of using lawful waste disposal methods like council pick-ups or local tips.
When most people think of illegal dumping they picture an old fridge on the side of the road, or a brown Christmas tree thrown in the street in early January, but for landowners illegal dumping is a nightmare.
If you’ve purchased a vacant block of land then you’ve likely got exciting plans to turn your dream home into a brand new build.
But when other people see your vacant lot they don’t see your future home – they see a giant space to dump their rubbish so it’s no longer their problem.
Examples of illegally dumped waste include:
- Old cars
- Asbestos
- Concrete
- Dirt
- Building waste
- Bricks and rubble
- Old tyres
- Electronic waste
As frustrating as this is, the harsh truth is that waste on your vacant lot becomes YOUR problem. Unless you know who left rubbish on your property (which is tough as illegal dumpers know how to be crafty) you’re stuck with the responsibility of removing the illegally dumped waste.
Your land may be covered with bricks, concrete, dirt and other building materials (especially if your vacant lot is part of nearby construction sites) that makes removal a strenuous chore. Or, you may find domestic waste in the form of old appliances, household rubbish and assorted junk.
Whatever type of waste you find, the frustration is the same.
Why illegally dumped waste is such a headache
Dumped waste is an eyesore and a health risk for your local community.
If toxic materials make their way into water supplies or seep into the ground, it’s possible to contaminate bushland and water sources. With many new homes going up from Mulgoa Rise to Marsden Park, your vacant lot is a health risk in waiting.
As a landowner, if your site becomes cluttered with someone’s old white goods, damaged tyres or construction waste, your construction project will hit the pause button. This can delay your project, leave you running behind schedule, and blow out costs as you end up paying for contractors and service providers who should be finished – but can’t even get started because your vacant lot looks like a mini-tip.
If dumpers can be identified the penalties range from $7,500 for individuals and $15,000 for corporations, up to $250,000 for individuals and $5 million for corporations. But if a random person backs their truck up to your block and drives off in the night, it’s tough to catch them – meaning waste dumped on your vacant land becomes your problem.
What to do about illegal dumping
You’ve got a builder refusing to start construction until your land is clean, and a pile of waste so big it would take you every weekend for the rest of the year to remove yourself.
The simple solution? Mobile rubbish removalists.
When your builder is waiting for a clear work-site, you don’t want to waste any time. This makes hired skip bins an inefficient solution.
For a start, skip bins end up being magnets for more waste as people see an empty skip bin, think “jackpot”, and dispose of their excess trash on your land.
Why hire a skip bin and risk MORE waste being dumped on your vacant lot?
Add up the time it takes to deliver a skip, fill a skip yourself, and wait for pick-up and you can easily lose days (or even weeks). If you’re paying a builder to get started on your new-home construction, that’s throwing money in the skip every day it sits on-site.
Rubbish removal services offer the same result as a hired skip bin, but with none of the wait time. With one call you can organise a truck to come to your vacant lot, with the manpower to remove every item of hard waste, concrete, brick and debris by hand – leaving you with a cleared lot the very same day.
How to choose a rubbish removalist to clear illegally dumped waste
The problem with organising a clean-up on your vacant land is that you’re not there to oversee the results.
It’s much easier to spot the good rubbish removalists from the unlicensed cowboys when you’re watching the work get done.
But 9 times out of 10 you won’t be heading out to your block of land to keep an eye on the clean-up, so you need to be able to choose a rubbish removal team you can trust.
Whether you’re at work, looking after the kids, or managing another aspect of your soon-to-be new home build, you don’t have time to babysit your choice of rubbish removalists. When choosing removalists to clear your vacant lot, look out for the following inclusions:
✔ Same-day service: The sooner your vacant lot is cleared, the sooner your construction plans can continue
✔ Western Sydney locals: When your rubbish removalists live in the local community, they know how important it is to protect it
✔ Fewer waste restrictions: Fewer restrictions on waste compared to a hired skip means your vacant lot can be cleared in one go, not multiple trips
✔ Affordable prices: It’s your responsibility to clear your lot, but that doesn’t mean you should have to shell out the big bucks
Rov’s Rubbish Removal provides fast, reliable and local rubbish removal to clear your land of debris and get your construction projects back on track. Whether you’re looking to start building tomorrow, or you’re keen to clear your site and set-up a fence to keep future dumpers out, our team has the experience to clear your lot safely, quickly and with care.
Looking for affordable rubbish removal services near you? Contact our friendly team for a fast and reliable rubbish removal quote today.
