Council's $275 warning after 'absolutely disgusting' find on busy beach
A NSW council is so fed up with locals littering that they've now removed dog poo bag dispensers.
A frustrated Aussie council has issued a warning to local pet owners after volunteer Landcare workers made an “absolutely disgusting” discovery while cleaning up a popular beach.
The ongoing issue recently came to a head when, in just one day, more than two dozen bags of dog poo were found dumped in the sand dunes at Merimbula main beach on the NSW south coast.
The Bega Valley Shire Council said all of the steaming piles were scattered within 50 metres, prompting authorities to remove dog waste dispensers on nearby Ocean Drive.
Trudi Badullovich, ranger services coordinator at Bega Valley council, told Yahoo News Australia on Tuesday the council “is actively addressing the environmental challenges posed by dog waste and disposal bags which can degrade when left on beaches, endangering marine life”.
“By removing dog waste dispensers from hotspots where bags are frequently abandoned, council aims to encourage pet owners to take greater responsibility for proper waste disposal.”
Badullovich said dog poo alone has a smaller environmental impact when compared with dog waste left on the beach in degradable bags, however locals are responsible for taking the faeces with them or risk a $275 fine.
Residents or tourists who fail to properly dispose of dog poo bags face a $500 littering fine.
“Council will increase foot patrols to educate owners, and take enforcement action when required,” Badullovich told Yahoo. “We urge residents to use their own bags and dispose of them in landfill bins.”
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Increase in reports of dumped poo bags in several Aussie states
Hoping to fix the issue, Bega Valley Shire Council made a Facebook plea to pet owners on Monday morning. “With summer around the corner, let’s work together to keep Merimbula beautiful for all,” the post reads.
A spokesperson for Send Snap Solve told Yahoo there has been an increase in reports of dumped dog poo bags in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, with residents in the latter filing 100 reports this year.
Commenting in response, the Far South Coast Landcare Association said online its workers collected the pictured pile of faeces when removing invasive weeds last week.
“These bags are NOT compostable, and will be in the dunes for a long time. I suppose at least poo breaks down fairly quickly, plastic is a much bigger problem!”
Others agreed, describing the scene as “appalling” and “inexcusable”. However, some locals said removing the dog poo bag dispensers would only make the problem worse. “This mess is inexcusable but sometimes people genuinely forget to bring a bag,” one woman said.
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