Illegal waste disposal means leaving waste at a place that’s not licensed to accept it. This includes:

  • dumping
  • tipping
  • burying
  • stockpiling.

It is illegal whether it occurs on public or private land.

Poor storage or handling of waste is  considered to be a dumping offence.

Anyone can submit a pollution report online or call 1300 372 842 to alert us to illegal waste disposal.

Illegal waste disposal is a crime. It is pollution that impacts our health and threatens our natural ecosystem.

Clearing dumped waste costs Victorians around $30 million a year.

What waste is commonly disposed of illegally?

The most common types of waste that are disposed of illegally are:

Legal waste disposal

Information for households

View our how-to guides for information on legally disposing of different types of household waste.

Sustainability Victoria also provides information about safely disposing of:

Information for businesses

Waste duties apply to all businesses that generate, transport or receive waste. These duties specify:

  • Waste classification
  • Waste transportation
  • Where it can be taken.

There are also special provisions for transporting waste.

WorkSafe provides information on how to manage contaminated construction sites.

Information for landowners

Farmers, private or public landowners must not accept material without an appropriate permission.

Check if you need a permission.

If you are a landowner, you are responsible for preventing uncontrolled access to your land that can enable waste dumping. This may include fencing or taking other precautions.

If you lease land to tenants, you may also be liable for contaminated material left on the property. This can apply even if you did not put it there.

For more information, read:

 

EPA’s Illegal Waste Disposal Program

Our Illegal Waste Disposal Program aims to stop people and businesses illegally disposing of waste.
 
We work with government, industry and the community to target illegal operators. We use intelligence and surveillance (including drones) to investigate dumping across Victoria.

Read more about reporting pollution

Reporting pollution

How to report noise pollution 

How to report litter from vehicles 

How to report smoky cars and vehicles 

How to report smoke in the air

How to report a breach of your EPA licence

How to report odour

How to report a banned plastic bag

Reviewed 24 February 2023