9 March 2012

Illegal dumping at public housing flats in Watson

| Watson
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dumping

I just reported the issue with dumping rubbish on the footpath in the street that runs along the back of the Watson shops for the 3rd time. First time I sent a report through the Fix My Street service was early July last year. Then sent a follow up with these pictures at the end of August. The footpath was finally cleared soon after and I actually noticed some improvement in the rubbish situation. While before the dozen or so bins that are permanently there seemed to be there merely for decoration, they were actually put at the kerb and emptied regularly for a few months. Some rubbish appeared after a while, but it was fairly minor. Until someone dumped a couch on the footpath a couple of weeks ago which apparently was the sign for all the ferals to bring out their dead. In this case, TVs. I counted SEVEN of them this morning. Plus two couches, a chair and some smaller stuff. Why TVs are being thrown out en masse will remain a mystery.

In my recent report to TAMS I asked if they could please try to implement a strategy to prevent this kind of dumping in the future because it creates a feeling of unsafety in the neighbourhood and it definitely fosters resentment from the other residents against the public housing tenants who seem to have been given the message that this is perfectly acceptable way to dispose of their rubbish.

And while I wouldn’t have a problem with there being a free service for pensioners or low-income families to help them with rubbish removal, I hope they get fined heavily for this feral behaviour. (And I am pretty sure there is currently a trial to offer free bulky goods pick-up for pensioners?)

watson dumping dumping dumping

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wildturkeycanoe5:19 am 10 Mar 12

That’s not rubbish, it’s just the leftovers from a Friday night street party. Tables, chairs, snack tray, toilet bowl,etc. One thing I can’t figure out is where all the empties went?

Captain RAAF9:59 pm 09 Mar 12

Just wait for a cold dark night (plenty of those coming soon) and set the whole lot on fire. It will get cleaned up straight away!

gentoopenguin said :

Pity to see how some people just don’t care about the community. What they did in Germany to stop people from dumping their rubbish on the kerb is to have a recycling fee included in the purchase price of certain products such as TVs – the disposal of them is free then (because you would have paid for it with purchase).

They are supposed to be rolling that out here this year: http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/ewastescheme/

If that would prevent TVs being excluded from the free bulky waste collection for concession card holders, maybe it would be a help.

Unfortunately, they are not using that service now for the other stuff that gets dumped there. It does show they are lacking a connection to their environment indeed and I find it quite sad.

Watson have you witnessed people doing the dumping? And if so, how do you know they are Housing ACT tenants?

gentoopenguin7:20 pm 09 Mar 12

Pity to see how some people just don’t care about the community. What they did in Germany to stop people from dumping their rubbish on the kerb is to have a recycling fee included in the purchase price of certain products such as TVs – the disposal of them is free then (because you would have paid for it with purchase).

VicePope said :

If the pictures were Quangers, it’d be an urban beautification project.

Except Quangers doesn’t have whole streets of filthy public housing apartment blocks.

If the pictures were Quangers, it’d be an urban beautification project.

Buckaroo_Banzai3:59 pm 09 Mar 12

Maybe the daycare centre upgraded its comfy rooms?

poetix said :

Just wondering how you know it is the public housing tenants doing all of this? It could be middle class homeowners as well, who know they are more likely to get away with it there. I don’t know the exact area, but isn’t this outside the flats rather than in them?

It looks terrible, whoever is doing it, and good luck in getting it fixed up.

You can get away with dumping pretty much anywhere. It’s not as if we have CCTV everywhere in the ‘burbs.

The main reason why I concluded it is most likely the tenants from the flats is that there are no other residential properties nearby. Across from that dump is the back of the shops, and the two other places closest by are the local primary school and a daycare centre. Any other residents would have to walk a fair distance to go dump the stuff there.

Holden Caulfield1:50 pm 09 Mar 12

Erg0 said :

Holden Caulfield said :

“Why TVs are being thrown out en masse will remain a mystery.”

Because they’re all about to become useless.*

*Of course, that just provides a good excuse to buy a new one.

Not useless, they’ll just require a set top box.

Yes, I realise that, I was merely adopting the thought process likely to be employed by those doing the dumping.

qbninthecity1:44 pm 09 Mar 12

Holden Caulfield said :

“Why TVs are being thrown out en masse will remain a mystery.”

Because they’re all about to become useless.*

*Of course, that just provides a good excuse to buy a new one.

^^^ what he said

Holden Caulfield said :

“Why TVs are being thrown out en masse will remain a mystery.”

Because they’re all about to become useless.*

*Of course, that just provides a good excuse to buy a new one.

Not useless, they’ll just require a set top box.

Just wondering how you know it is the public housing tenants doing all of this? It could be middle class homeowners as well, who know they are more likely to get away with it there. I don’t know the exact area, but isn’t this outside the flats rather than in them?

It looks terrible, whoever is doing it, and good luck in getting it fixed up.

Fines of any size will have limited effect as if they are not paid, there is not much that can be done as govt benefits cannot be garnished. I would suggest the vast majority of the dumpers would be on some kind of benefit.
Take away their given and lifelong right to public housing you say? Cancel their benefits? Make them actually get a job and work?
Yeah right. Sure.
The bleeding heart lefty community service types will give you all sorts of excuses why this must not happen.

Holden Caulfield12:38 pm 09 Mar 12

“Why TVs are being thrown out en masse will remain a mystery.”

Because they’re all about to become useless.*

*Of course, that just provides a good excuse to buy a new one.

Malteser said :

I think there are so many TV’s because it costs $25 per TV to dump them at the tip.

I understand it costs money but why did 7 of the tenants apparently upgrade their TVs in the same week?

Anywho… The solution is obviously not to allow people to just dump them on the footpath. I reckon it costs TAMS more than 7 x $25 to send someone out to clear the footpath.

And TVs and computers are excluded from the bulky waste collection trial for concession holders.

TheDancingDjinn12:16 pm 09 Mar 12

Malteser said :

I think there are so many TV’s because it costs $25 per TV to dump them at the tip.

Costs way more for the fine for illegal dumping – i hope someone gets caught and served a beautiful big ass fine.

I think there are so many TV’s because it costs $25 per TV to dump them at the tip.

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