LITTERBUGS have again dumped couches and mattresses in Huntingdale station’s car park.
The incident sparked a Monash Council plea for residents to wait for a coming hard waste collection or use the council’s waste transfer centre rather than dump refuse.
The latest dumping comes two weeks after Metro Trains said it was stepping up security at Huntingdale and other rubbish hot spots across its network.
Metro said Huntingdale – along with Clayton, Oakleigh and Carnegie – was one of six favourite stations for rubbish dumpers.
Monash mayor Greg Male said the council was working with Metro and the state government to crack down on litterbugs.
“The community needs to know we already spend $2million collecting and disposing of litter each year,” he said. “We need to reduce that figure, and the amount of litter.”
He said anyone caught dumping rubbish could face an on-the-spot fine of $238, or anything up to $7000 and jail time, depending on the offence.
With the council’s annual hard rubbish collection only two months away, Cr Male said there was no reason for anyone to dump anything.
“That’s when we encourage you to put it all out on the nature strip and we’ll come and get it for free.”
If a resident can’t wait then they can go to the Monash Waste Transfer and Recycling Station at 380 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill.
“The cost to put in a mattress at the waste centre is about $20,” Cr Male said.
The council is also preparing to launch its Don’t Trash Monash campaign to educate the community about waste disposal.
