Move to remove derelict vehicles gaining momentum

The unsightly image of dumped decrepit vehicles is an all-too-common blight on the local landscape.

Removing them is just one aspect of a national clean-up program that has been in place since July. Two months on, the bulk waste project is drawing to a close. But many of the decrepit cars can still be seen.

“We had some breakdown in between and we did not collect that many of the derelict vehicles that we wanted to and that program will continue. We have had a conversation with the contractor and we should be back on the road next week where we will continue to map out the area with high volumes of derelict vehicles,” he said.

The Defence Force lent manpower to the two-month program and Spencer also gave an overview of the scope of the works.

“We started with eight Barco’s, and excavator, up to 15 20 tons trucks and about 50 to 60 small trucks. It was quite a large number. For the period we wanted to complete it, we were adequately resourced, but we do face challenges in other areas,” he said.

Spencer said the authority has approached the Cabinet for resources for extra equipment, explaining that the waste management sector has special challenges.

“Managing equipment under a waste management situation is very different from database management especially when they work in and out of the landfill.

All this comes residents were warned that they stand to join the long list of persons who have been prosecuted for illegal dumping if they refuse to quit the practice.

The scourge of illegal dumping is one of the major catalysts for the island-wide clean-up, through which residents can get rid of waste such as household appliances, furniture, construction materials, and even derelict vehicles.

Residents are normally responsible for having these materials transported to the landfill and properly disposed of, but that burden has been lifted over the past couple of weeks as personnel from the NSWMA have been visiting communities to collect the waste, free of cost.